Mexico City, Nov 15 (IANS) Uruguay manager Marcelo Bielsa said Friday that the absences of Darwin Nunez and Federico Valverde will not greatly impact his team in friendlies against Mexico and the United States.

Al-Hilal striker Nunez was ruled out of the matches due to a knee injury, while Real Madrid midfielder Valverde is sidelined with a hamstring strain, reports Xinhua.

“It would have been nice to have both of them with us, but the fact they are not here will not be an obstacle for us,” Bielsa told reporters, adding that Uruguay’s depth of talent had been one of its strengths since he took charge of the Celeste in May 2023.

“We have played 18 World Cup qualifiers since I arrived and seven Copa America games, so the mutual understanding within our team is already solid,” the 70-year-old Argentine said.

Uruguay will meet Mexico in Torreon on Saturday and the United States in Tampa on Tuesday. The games will provide one of the last opportunities for Bielsa to assess his squad before next year’s World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The Celeste booked a place in the tournament by finishing fourth in South America’s 10-team qualifying group.

Bielsa said most of his World Cup squad had already been decided but left open the possibility of late additions.

“There are only a few players I have not evaluated, and seeing new faces is always a step forward, a chance to add something, especially when you have the opportunity to face two opponents like the ones we will face,” he said.

“The idea is to repeat as few players as possible across the two games, taking advantage of the fact that they are matches of a level similar to a World Cup. I know Mexico and the United States have significant absences, but even so, having these two games is a great opportunity.”

–IANS

ab/