José Néstor Pékerman recalled his time with the Colombian football team with which he went to two consecutive world championships (2014 and 2018). The 72-year-old Argentine is now taking over the sports process of the Venezuelan national team with which he hopes to carry out a long, but forceful process in the face of the upcoming challenges, as they are eliminated for Qatar 2022.
In the middle of a pre-match press conference between the two neighboring countries, he commented on his “commitment to the whole team, to the players, to face a match that is going to be very difficult, without a doubt.”
He has also made it clear that he respects and has “a strong affection for Colombia”, however, he thinks about sports first, while praising his former directors:
“Colombia has wonderful players, a very high level, I knew it, so the match is going to be very strong and very complicated, but we are going to have our game plan, our intentions to improve,” he said.
The coffee growers hope to get a score that will allow them to aspire to reach the repechage as the only way to go to the football world cup in Qatar 2022. But for that to happen, not only will he have to win, but his pair, the Peruvian national team, must not win at home against Paraguay this Tuesday.
Although Colombia is the one who arrives most in need of achieving the best result, Venezuela is not far behind and more so is its coach who hopes not to fall into the record of worse results in a tie in terms of points obtained just starting his way with the vinotinto.
Pékerman enjoys a good reputation after his successful campaign with Colombia and some air of help awaits some coffee fans, but for him professional matters. Meanwhile, Chile is also in the race to reach the world championship, so this Tuesday it will be known who will make the move to the playoff against an Asian team among the three South American teams.
In a press conference, the gaucho coach also referred in particular to the Colombian attacker Luis Díaz, whom he remembered in a great way when he was an assistant or 'sparring' of the Colombian National Team when he was Technical Director:
Diaz will be one of the most valuable and important cards that the Colombian National Team will have to look for the result. Luis is coming from scoring 3-0 against Bolivia and is expected to continue with the good run against Venezuela at the Cachamay National Stadium located in Puerto Ordaz.
The meeting between the two teams will be held at 6:30pm this Tuesday, March 29 and in parallel the other matches will be played between Brazil-Bolivia, Argentina-Ecuador, Chile-Uruguay and Peru-Paraguay.
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