The XIV Pre-Olympic Tournament of football, which will classify the champion and runner-up for the Paris 2024 Olympic Gameswill begin this Saturday in Venezuelawith a notable degree of demand and the usual favoritism in the hands of those selected Sub 23 of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay.
This Saturday two matches of the Zone A: Ecuador-Colombiaat 17:00 in Argentina, and Venezuelawith the Argentine coach Ricardo Valiñoversus Boliviafrom 6:00 p.m., both at the Brígido Iriante stadium in Caracas, with broadcast of DSports.
When does the Argentine national team debut?
The Argentine team, which will be coached by Javier Mascherano, will debut on Sunday at Zone B in view of Paraguay at 8:00 p.m. at the Misael Delgado Sports Center, in the city of Valencia, located about 160 kilometers west of the Venezuelan capital.
The tournament will end on February 11, will be based in a third stadium, the Metropolitano de Lara in Barquisimeto, and 10 teams will compete in two zones of five each. The first two will advance to the final quadrangular, whose champion and runner-up will obtain tickets for the Paris Games.
The Pre-Olympic groups
The Zone A it’s integrated by Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia and Brazil. While the Zone B will face the Argentina, Paraguay, Peru, Chile and Uruguay.
In the Olympic events only Uruguay (1924 and 1928), Argentina (2004 and 2008) and Brazil (2016 and 2020) managed to add gold medals and dream of reaching Paris to reach a third and remain leaders in the region.
This will be the fourteenth edition of the South American Pre-Olympicthat Brazil won seven times (1968, 1972, 1976, 1984, 1988, 1996 and 2000), followed by Argentina with five (1960, 1964, 1980, 2004 and 2020) and Paraguay with one (1992).
On the list of coaches who will take part in the competition in Venezuela transcend Javier Mascherano in the Argentinawho was in charge of the Under-20 in it world from the category last year; the rosarino Marcelo Bielsa (DT of the largest of Uruguay) and the Brazilian Ramon Menezeswho was recently in charge of “Scratch” on an interim basis.
How the candidates arrive at the Pre-Olympic
The main figures of the Argentina that will be seen on the playing fields will be Thiago Almadaworld champion in Qatar 2022; Valentine Boatnew footballer Brighton of the Premier League English; the little devil” Claudio Echeverrifigure of Under-17 and future player Manchester City and the distinguished midfielder Federico Redondoof Argentinos Juniors.
The Argentine team will attend the tournament with 22 players (one less than those allowed), since, after presenting the official list, the defender Julian Malatini was transferred by Defense and Justice to the Werder Bremen and the German club refused to give him up. The regulations only allow replacements in case of injury.
The selected one Brazil will arrive with a fearsome attack, made up of the youthful ex-Palmeiras Endrikbrand new Real Madrid player, and John Kennedy (Fluminense), Boca’s executioner in the final of the last Copa Libertadores at the Maracaná in Rio de Janeiro.
Both will be supported in midfield by Andrew Santosman of Chelsea who recently returned on loan to Vasco da Gama led by Argentine Ramón Díaz.
Uruguay will suffer the absence of the winger Cristian Oliverawho was not enabled by The Angels of the MLS American, but will have Cesar Araujomidfielder Orlando City and cited for the major by the “Crazy” Bielsawhich will also feature players from last year’s U-20 world champion team.
In Chili stands out Damian Pizarroof the Udinese of Italyin Venezuela Kevin Keslywho plays in Shakhtar of Ukraineand in Paraguay Diego Gomezpartner of Lionel Messi in Inter Miamiand Enso González of the Wolverhampton English.
It will be a very tough tournament, with matches every three daysand with classification for only two teams per zone, which allows us to venture that achieving one of the places for Paris It will be very complicated.
Source: Ambito
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