Snak

Chile´s Arturo Vidal dismisses talk of move to Barcelona or Real Madrid

Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal has scotched suggestions that he could be on his way out of Italy in a transfer to Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid either prior to, or after, this summer´s World Cup tournament.

The Chilean is expected to be one of South America´s biggest talents on show in Brazil from June and has enjoyed a stellar season in Turin thus far. Vidal joined Juve from Leverkusen for €10.5 million in 2011 and has gone on to star for them in both Seri A and the Champions league.

"Real Madrid or Barcelona? This is ridiculous. All I want is to win the championship with Juventus and make a good world Cup."

Vidal´s Chile, who are in Group B alongside Australia, Spain and Netherlands, could easily face hosts Brazil in the second round as the Selecao are of course in Group A.

Jamaica tops Barbados on second-half goals

WATERFORD, Barbados – Jamaica struck for a pair of second-half goals to defeat host Barbados 2-0 in an international friendly on Sunday at the Barbados National Stadium. The victory snapped the Reggae Boyz’s 13-game winless streak in full internationals.

Shortly after Barbados center-back Rommel Burgess left the match with an injury, Darren Mattocks and Deshorn Brown scored their first-ever goals in the 75th and 82nd minutes, respectively.

The match was Barbados’ first since it posted a 2-1 win over Aruba on September 27, 2012.

Next for Jamaica is another away friendly against St. Lucia on Wednesday.

Messi will never be Maradona, says Enrique

Former Argentina international Hector Enrique believes Lionel Messi will never be on Diego Maradona´s level.

Messi and Maradona are often compared, with the Barcelona forward having won an unprecedented four Ballon d´Or awards.

Maradona scored 34 goals for Argentina and has been overtaken by Messi (37), but the former won a FIFA World Cup in 1986.

Enrique, who represented Argentina 11 times, believes Messi is a long way behind Maradona.

"Messi does not have anything on Maradona. I love Messi and I would be happy if my son would play at one per cent of his abilities, but Maradona was unique," he told Continental.

"There will never be anyone like Maradona again, not even if Messi wins three World Cups in succession or scores a bicycle kick from midfield.

"Maradona and Messi have different characters on the pitch. Diego radiated confidence and made all of us play better. Messi has personality as well, but not like Maradona."

Jeg havde været mere tilfreds, hvis det havde været i nat at venskabskampene blev spillet, men mon ikke det går alligevel.

Spørgsmål vi allerede har været inde på sidste år...

Five burning questions facing the Brazilian national team

In roughly a hundred days´ time, Brazil will kick off the 2014 World Cup in Sao Paulo against Croatia. But while the Selecao squad doesn´t face the same race against the clock experienced by the organizing committee, there are some important issues that need to be addressed if Luiz Felipe Scolari´s men want things to run smoothly on the pitch.

From a scarcity of firepower to stamina levels and peace of mind, Brazil have some housekeeping to do before they meet Niko Kovac´s side in a city where the crowd is historically tough for the Selecao -- in the 1950 World Cup, for example, they booed the team off the pitch after a 2-2 draw with Switzerland.

1. Will the pressure "break" Neymar?

Brazil have been there before, arriving at a big tournament with a superstar player carrying the hopes of the nation on his shoulders. In 1998, the weight of expectations proved too much for a 21-year-old Ronaldo when it mattered most and 16 years later, Neymar is under that spotlight.

It´s not quite a carbon-copy situation, since Ronaldo started France 1998 as the world´s most expensive player and having won back-to-back FIFA World Player of the Year trophies, but the intensity of the attention will be pretty similar.

Like Ronaldo, Neymar has learned that the life of a Brazilian football superstar is never confined to the pitch and thanks to issues such as the controversial secret payments made by Barcelona to his father to guarantee his services last year, as well as news of the breakup with Brazilian soap star Bruna Marquezine, Neymar´s concentration powers have been severely tested lately.

His 12 goals and 13 assists in 29 matches for Barca are good numbers, but the forward still averages fewer than 70 minutes per game for the Catalans. If anything, the move to Europe has already been a success in sheltering Neymar from the mania created back home by his own success -- mania which the Brazilian star has never been shy to milk profusely in a string of sponsorship and commercial deals -- but the forward will jump back into the maelstrom in May when the Selecao reconvenes.

Scolari tested an "isolation" scheme in the Confederations Cup -- Neymar took part in only one news conference during the whole tournament, apart from brief appearances in FIFA´s highly controlled Man of the Match ceremonies. The manager will probably protect his asset even more during the World Cup, but there is a limit to what he can do to control the influence of the outside world.

2. How will Scolari handle the "Double D" dilemma?

David Luiz is one of Big Phil´s most trusted lieutenants and a crowd favorite since that goal-line clearance against Spain in the Confederations Cup final -- a move that also helped to erase the silly penalty he gave away in the semifinal against Uruguay. But although he has featured regularly for Chelsea this season, one cannot help thinking that Luiz still has not won total backing from Jose Mourinho.

Meanwhile, tough contract extension talks aside, Dante has been omnipresent in mighty Bayern Munich´s central defense since the Bavarians´ treble-winning season. With his display against Italy in the Confederations Cup after Luiz limped off, he became an even more towering shadow over his Chelsea counterpart.

Scolari is hardly a guy to take massive risks and is known for loyalty to those players who stuck with him in hairy times. Also, Luiz´s partnership with Thiago Silva has been the most efficient for the Selecao over the past four years. But will Dante become the floppy-haired elephant in the room if he and Bayern Munich keep winning everything?

3. Will Julio Cesar be sharp enough to hold on to the No. 1 spot?

Technically, Cesar is not the holder of the No. 1 shirt. He relinquished it after wearing it in the 2010 World Cup, the tournament in which his blunder contributed to Brazil´s implosion against Holland in the quarterfinals.

Still, Cesar is Scolari´s most trusted goalkeeper and the manager has spared no efforts in trying to keep him motivated since his fall from grace at QPR, where he played one match in nine months before resorting to a Toronto FC move. Now in Major League Soccer, the former Inter man is hoping to clock precious minutes so that his presence at the squad will not be restricted to advising his younger and less experienced teammates.

Although Big Phil said back in August that Cesar will be one of his three goalies at the tournament, he recently showed a bit less enthusiasm when addressing a question on Cesar´s place in the starting lineup. Cesar is certainly helped by the fact Scolari´s other choices for the position have played most of their football in the Campeonato Brasileiro, hardly the most challenging league in the World -- Diego Cavalieri´s 10 matches in two years at Liverpool notwithstanding.

It is also quite convenient that Valencia´s Diego Alves, the only Brazilian goalie getting regular first-team football in Europe, has been solemnly ignored in the call-ups. But unless Cesar really gets his kit dirty in Canada and in the 11 games he will play for Toronto before joining the Selecao in their training base near Rio de Janeiro, his "untouchable" status is under threat.

4. Can the Selecao find a reliable centre-forward?

With less than a handful of games under his belt in the past six months, Fred could not look more different than the poacher who often bailed Brazil out of trouble under Scolari. The problem is that his shoes seem bigger than Krusty the Clown´s and just as difficult to fill.

Atletico Mineiro´s Jo might tactically be an interesting fit but he managed an even quieter period albeit being much more often on the pitch than the Fluminense man. After Diego Costa "flipped" to the Selecao and made himself available to Spain at the same time Alexandre Pato flopped so badly at Corinthians, the scarcity became even direr -- to the point that Scolari delayed the call-up for Wednesday´s friendly against South Africa so that he could wait for positive news on Fred´s return from another injury spell.

Though both him and Jo have been called in, Fred´s medical record and Jo´s inconsistency are reasons to worry.

5. Who brings the experience to the Selecao?

Luiz Felipe Scolari isn´t yet satisfied with the amount of seasoned players he has at his disposal, and with good reason. Currently only Fred, Julio Cesar and Dani Alves have played a World Cup game in the current squad and the manager might as well add some veterans to the mix.

After bringing Robinho back for the North American friendlies last November, Scolari gave the impression that the Milan man would be just the trick, but noises coming from Selecao insiders suggest that even Kaka could get a late nod.

The name won´t be picked at random but Scolari´s decision will also not be based merely upon history at the Selecao -- Robinho, for example, offers a possible use as a false-nine that would avoid switching Neymar from his preferred left flank. But by no means does Big Phil appear to have made his mind up as to which veteran he´ll draft in.

River trabajó en el gimnasio

BUENOS AIRES -- El entrenador de River Plate, Ramón Díaz, no pudo realizar los entrenamientos con pelota debido a la lluvia y por ahora es una incógnita el equipo que va a elegir para enfrentar a Tigre el jueves por la sexta fecha del Torneo Final.

Las fuertes tormentas y el mal estado de los campos de juego del predio de Ezeiza obligaron al entrenador a realizar tareas de gimnasio y de este modo no pudo concretar la práctica táctica en la que iba a decidir los nombres y el sistema para jugar ante el Matador en Victoria.

El trabajo del plantel consistió en tareas físicas en el gimnasio con rutinas y circuitos de fortalecimiento muscular de las que participaron todos los jugadores a excepción de Martín Aguirre, quien realizó tareas diferenciadas por una lesión muscular que arrastra desde el verano.

En cuanto al juvenil Emanuel Mammana, quien el domingo no pudo debutar por una intoxicación, ya se encuentra totalmente recuperado y el cuerpo médico le recomendó un plan especial de tareas de gimnasio para recomponer la masa muscular que perdió el fin de semana.

Ramón Díaz debe decidir cómo rearma la formación inicial tras el triunfo ante San Lorenzo del último domingo por 1-0 ya que están en condiciones de regresar el defensor Gabriel Mercado, quien se recuperó de un desgarro, y el mediocampista Matías Kranevitter, quien cumplió la fecha de suspensión.

Por otra parte, el DT debe reemplazar a los colombianos Eder Alvarez Balanta y Teófilo Gutiérrez, quienes se encuentran en Barcelona para disputar un amistoso con su selección ante Túnez y regresarán recién el viernes para jugar el domingo ante Arsenal en el Monumental.

Asimismo, tanto Ariel Rojas como Augusto Solari, quienes fueron los reemplazantes de Kranevitter y Mercado, respectivamente, tuvieron muy buenos rendimientos en el clásico del domingo ante el Ciclón y el entrenador duda en sacarlos del equipo.

Por esta razón, recién el miércoles, cuando el plantel quede concentrado luego del entrenamiento en el predio de Ezeiza, el Pelado podrá ensayar con una formación que también podría cambiar el sistema táctico nuevamente.

En el inicio del certamen, River jugó con línea de 3 en el fondo y alternó 4-1-2 ó 4-3 del medio hacia adelante, según si Manuel Lanzini se ubicaba de enlace o de un tercer delantero.

Sin embargo, existe la posibilidad de que el técnico decida volver a los tres atrás para sumar gente en ofensiva. Es que el equipo "millonario" arrastra una racha goleadora pobre ya que en los 30 partidos que disputó en la temporada 2013-2014 (incluye cotejos de la Copa Sudamericana) sólo en dos ocasiones anotó más de un gol: precisamente frente a Tigre, 3-0 en el Inicial, y ante Liga de Loja de Ecuador, 2-0 por la Copa.

River, que tiene 7 puntos y viene de ganarle a San Lorenzo tras cortar una racha de dos derrotas seguidas, visitará a Tigre el jueves desde las 22.10 en Victoria.

Su rival suma 6 unidades, en la última jornada cayó ante Quilmes por 1-0 y apenas anotó 1 gol en este torneo.

Soccer roundup: Colo Colo increases lead at the top, O’Higgins falters


Católica reclaims second spot with dominant display, ‘La U’ held by Unión Española, Everton surges up the table with derby win.

Colo Colo 3-2 Cobresal

Colo Colo increased its lead at the top of the table with a dominant 3-2 win over Cobresal on Friday.

Striker Esteban Paredes’ seventh goal of the season sent the league leader on its way in the ninth minute, latching onto a superb long pass from midfielder Esteban Pavez and finishing past Sebastián Cuerdo.

However, the hosts struggled to convert their domination into goals and were pegged back midway through the first half by striker Ever Cantero, who converted his penalty after a handball by Christian Vilches.

Having clawed their way back into the game, the visitors were furious with Colo Colo’s second goal of the match. From a corner just after the break, forward Juan Delgado appeared to kick the ball out of Cuerdo’s hands for his goal — referee Claudio Puga was unconvinced by the visitors’ case at the time, but he may have since realized that they had a point.

The aggrieved away side continued to work hard but the match was pulled out of reach in the 73rd minute. Meeting another wonderful pass from Pavez, striker Felipe Flores demonstrated the composure that the home side had lacked throughout the match, showing great strength and balance before beating Cuerdo with a smart finish.

Forward Lino Maldonado pulled one back for the visitors in the final minutes by nutmegging Justo Villar, but it was not enough to prevent the hosts from enjoying their sixth straight win.

Manager Héctor Tapia declared himself happy with the result and the team’s recent run of form.

“We dominated almost the whole game but lacked composure today,” he told press. “The opposition made it difficult by restricting the space well, but I’m happy with the result.”

It was a case of close but no cigar for Cobresal midfielder Mariano Torres, who lamented the mistakes that cost his side but was pleased with how the team “fought until the final whistle” and came close to upsetting the odds.

Colo Colo moves onto 25 points, stretching its lead at the top of the table to six points. Cobresal sits in 17th with eight points.

Universidad de Chile 3-3 Unión Española

“La U” steadied the ship after its midweek Libertadores thrashing with a thrilling 3-3 draw with Unión Española on Saturday.

Having watched Brazilian side Cruzeiro dismantle the home side during the week, Española manager José Luis Sierra was given the perfect blueprint of how to pick apart “La U’s” leaky defense, which has conceded 11 goals in its last three games in all competitions. His methods in the opening half an hour seemed to be working as his forwards found ample space, Sebastián Jaime in particular enjoying Igor Lichnovsky’s failure to cover Roberto Cereceda when the defender roamed forward in attack.

This led to the away side’s first chance of the match in the 12th minute. Striker Matías Campos Toro, showing great determination to chase back and win the ball off forward Rodrigo Mora, launched a long pass forward that gifted Jaime a one-on-one with Johnny Herrera. Much to the relief of the home fans, Jaime hesitated and Herrera stood tall to save.

The lingering lack of confidence among Cristián Romero’s men evaporated on the half hour mark when Mora found the opener for “La U,” converting a penalty he won himself after being tripped by goalkeeper Diego Sánchez.

Mora had the chance to double his side’s lead from the penalty spot when defender Jorge Ampuero tripped Gustavo Lorenzetti. The Uruguayan striker put his penalty the same side, but without the same conviction and Sánchez saved. Straight from the goalkeeper’s clearance kick, striker Gustavo Canales found Campos Toro who poked the ball past Herrera and in off the post to equalize.

Universidad de Chile reclaimed the lead after an hour when a blocked shot from midfielder Ramón Fernández rolled to Rubén Farfán, who smashed his finish past Sánchez.

However, Lichnovsky’s trip on Canales just four minutes later gave the visitors a penalty and a one-man advantage as he was shown a second yellow card. Lichnovsky’s teammates protested that the foul had taken place outside the box, but the decision stood and Canales converted the penalty high into the side netting.

Despite playing with 10 men, “La U” continued to look for a winner — Lorenzetti again put his side in front 15 minutes from time, but his strike was cancelled out by Nicolás Berardo. The defender’s cross from the sideline was touched by no-one, but Salom’s attempt to flick the ball on deceived Herrera and the ball rolled into the side netting.

Midfielder Juan Rodrigo Rojas had the chance to secure a dramatic win for his side with a free header inside the box from a Fernández free kick, but his attempt drifted just wide of the post.

The result leaves both sides with plenty to do if they are to meet pre-season expectations — “La U” is in sixth with 14 points, while “Los Rojos” lie in 11th with 10 points.

Universidad Católica 1-0 Iquique

Universidad Católica outclassed a lackluster Iquique side, who had keeper Rodrigo Naranjo to thank for limiting the score to just 1-0 Thursday.

Iquique goalkeeper Rodrigo Naranjo was busy throughout the first half as he kept out strikes from forwards Álvaro Ramos and José Luis Muñoz and midfielder Darío Bottinelli.

However, he was beaten in the 39th minute when Ramos made the most of the advantage played by the referee after a foul on Bottinelli, firing a shot into the side netting that was too powerful for the Chilean goalkeeper.

The hosts continued to threaten Naranjo’s goal as they ran rings around a back four that offered little protection by its midfield, but the keeper was in fine form and denied Católica time and again.

Iquique manager Jaime Vera was understandably disappointed with his side’s performance.

“We did little to win the match today, we just didn’t turn up,” he said after the match. “I don’t remember us creating any really good chances.”

Católica’s victory sees Rodrigo Astudillo’s men reclaim second spot in the Clausura with 19 points. Iquique’s defeat after four straight wins leaves the team in fifth on 16 points.

Huachipato 1-0 O’Higgins

Huachipato dented O’Higgins’ title hopes on Saturday with a shock 1-0 over the Chilean reigning champions.

The visitors were unlucky to go a goal behind in the 25th minute after Carlos Ulloa awarded a penalty to the home side for an accidental handball from Pablo Hernández — Francisco Arrué waited for Paulo Garcés to commit before calmly placing the ball in the opposite side of the goal.

The O’Higgins players’ frustration grew further when Gastón Lezcano was booked harshly for diving, despite defender Omar Merlo making clear contact with the striker.

Clearly riled, this frustration spilled over as first Eduardo Berizzo’s assistant, Ernesto Marcucci, was sent off and then Garcés was booked for kicking out at defender José Contreras — halftime provided a much-needed opportunity to regroup and let tempers dissipate.

The visitors gave a better showing of themselves in the second half with Hernández at the heart of his side’s attacking play, but only a superb Garcés stop from Carlos Espinoza’s header prevented them from going two goals down.

Striker Pablo Calandría had a great chance to level in the 91st minute, but his first touch was heavy and he was quickly swarmed by Huachipato defenders.

“We didn’t play well and stopped playing our own game after the goal,” Berizzo said after the match. “We recovered in the second half but didn’t take our chances.”

With regard to the referee’s performance, Berizzo said that he “never talks about the referee” and wouldn’t change that after his side’s defeat.

O’Higgins slips to third on 18 points. A vital win for Huachipato takes the team up to 13th with 10 points.

Everton 2-1 Santiago Wanderers

Everton grabbed its second consecutive win and surged up the table with a 2-1 Valparaíso derby victory over Santiago Wanderers on Sunday.

Striker Matías Donoso, the hero from last week’s victory over Unión Española, opened the scoring after half an hour. Chesting down a pass from Moisés Vásquez, he swiveled and shot past José Lafrentz.

The visitors drew level in the 39th minute when midfielder Andrés Robles brilliantly skipped past Jorge Romo and cut a pass back for Matias Mier to finish.

The teams went into the break on level terms, but Fernando de la Fuente made mincemeat of Ivo Basay’s halftime team talk when he almost broke Ángel Rojas’ ankle straight after the break and was duly shown a red card.

However, Rojas recovered sufficiently to find his side’s second, taking advantage of a weak Lafrentz punch and volleying past the goalkeeper as he scrambled back to his goal-line.

Everton had to play the last 20 minutes with 10 men after defender Marcos Velásquez was shown a second yellow card but the home side managed to hang on to record an important victory.

Everton climbs to 12th with 10 points. Santiago Wanderers sit mid-table with 11 points, in ninth place.

Cobreloa 0-1 Palestino

Juan Ignacio Duma’s late strike gave Palestino a deserved 1-0 win against Cobreloa on Sunday.

The home side enjoyed the better chances in the opening period and was unlucky not to lead at halftime, with Palestino goalkeeper Felipe Ñúnez proving difficult to beat.

However, Palestino turned the screw on the hosts in the second half and found the opener in the 79th minute when striker Duma ran onto Carlos Valenzuela’s pass and finished clinically, giving Sebastián Contreras no chance.

Palestino overtook Iquique with this victory and now sits in fourth with 17 points. Cobreloa dropped further down the table into 14th, remaining on nine points.

Antofagasta 2-3 Unión La Calera

A Leandro Benegas brace helped Unión La Calera to a 3-2 win over Antofagasta on Saturday.

La Calera opened the scoring through Paulo Rosales, the striker taking down a hoof from goalkeeper Juan Ojeda and using the outside of his foot to bend the ball around Luis Godoy.

Néstor Craviotto’s men doubled their lead 15 minutes later after midfielder Pablo Vergara intercepted a poor pass from Cristian Rojas, cut inside and played in Benegas. Timing his run perfectly, the Argentine striker showed great composure to finish past Godoy.

Another intelligent run and smart finish from Benegas, the league’s top scorer, seemed to have wrapped up the tie after 47 minutes but the Antofagasta resurgence eventually materialized in the 74th minute through a penalty converted by Javier Elizondo.

A red card for Bascuñan with 15 minutes remaining, and a second goal for the home side after 79 minutes through a superb header by Juan Lorca, ensured a nervy finish for La Calera but the visitors kept their heads and successfully saw the game out.

Without a win in five, Antofagasta drops to the foot of the table with seven points. Unión La Calera is in seventh with 12 points.

Audax Italiano 2-2 Universidad Concepción

Universidad Concepción rescued a point with a last-minute Sixto Peralta penalty in a 2-2 draw with Universidad Concepción on Saturday.

Striker Rubén Ramírez opened the scoring in the first 10 minutes, volleying a cross from Francisco Sánchez past goalkeeper Cristián Muñoz.

The visitors leveled 10 minutes later, with Gabriel Vargas smashing his penalty into the roof of the net after defender Rafael Olarra’s late tackle on Pedro Muñoz.

The score stayed level until the final minutes of the match, when Felipe Mora managed to get on the end of a Bryan Carrasco’s cross that should have been dealt with by Muñoz. The players and fans celebrated what they thought was an important victory.

However, there was a twist in the tale as Audax defender Sebastián Vegas tugged Andrés Imperiale’s shirt at a corner, giving the referee no choice but to award a penalty. Peralta secured a point for his side, boldly putting the ball into the top right hand corner, beyond the reach of Jaime Bravo.

Both sides sit mid-table — Audax in 10th with 10 points, Universidad Concepción in eight with twelve.

Ñublense 1-0 Rangers

Ñublense climbed off the foot of the table in dramatic style with a late 1-0 win against Rangers on Sunday.

The teams, both languishing at the bottom end of the table, looked to have each gained a point before Ñublense captain Mathias Riquero side footed Tomas Lanzini’s cutback pass into the back of the net in the 90th minute.

Defeat was harsh on Rangers, who had perhaps created more chances throughout the match but had failed to make them count.

Ñublense rises to 15th with nine points. Rangers slip to 16th in the Clausura and last place in the combined Apertura and Clausura standings that determine relegation, having been overtaken by Everton and Huachipato.

Clausura upcoming fixtures:

March 6, 4 p.m.: Palestino vs. Huachipato
March 6, 6:15 p.m.: Santiago Wanderers vs. Ñublense
March 6, 8:30 p.m.: Unión Española vs. Audax Italiano
March 8, 4 p.m.: Universidad Concepción vs. Antofagasta
March 8, 6:30 p.m.: O’Higgins vs. Universidad de Chile
March 8, 10 p.m.: Deportes Iquique vs. Cobreloa
March 9, 4 p.m.: Unión La Calera vs. Colo Colo
March 9, 4 p.m.: Cobresal vs. Everton
March 9, 6:30 p.m.: Rangers vs. Universidad Católica


Mål

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Germany in Germany — analyzing Chile’s biggest test yet

‘La Roja’s’ friendly Wednesday is the perfect chance to test itself against elite opposition ahead of a fiercely competitive World Cup group stage.
Germany in Germany — analyzing Chile’s biggest test yet

Chile has played England at Wembley and host nation Brazil since qualifying for the 2014 World Cup — so it’s alarming to consider that “La Roja’s” sternest friendly test is yet to come.

Few international fixtures are as daunting as Germany in Germany, and any hope of lining up against an experimental reserve side Wednesday should be set aside as the “Mannschaft” approaches its final 100 days of preparations for a World Cup in which it is arguably Europe’s greatest hope.

Endless German talent

Joachim Löw has approached this match with caution, reminding us of an injury list that includes starters Thomas Müller, Sami Khedira and most recently Lars Bender, and the manager has called up four uncapped players to the squad. Though the fact remains that quality runs so deep in this German side that it could afford to lose twice as many starters and still be considered odds-on favorite against “La Roja.”

The team is perhaps more supremely balanced than any side heading to Brazil. To an old guard firing on all cylinders (Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger et al.) we add Löw’s hatchlings that took flight in 2010: Müller, Mesut Özil, Khedira, Toni Kroos and Manuel Neuer, as well as the startlingly talented latest crop of young stars that includes Mario Götze, Mats Hummels and André Schürrle.

Germany has only lost twice in 18 months — a shock loss to the United States in Washington D.C. last June and a friendly defeat to Argentina in August 2012.

Challenge accepted

However, it seems the feeling in the Chile camp is that the players wouldn’t want it any other way. Head coach Jorge Sampaoli worked doggedly with Chile’s soccer association (ANFP) to secure friendlies against heavyweights following qualification against Ecuador in December. After that match, national treasure Alexis Sánchez said Chile is in contention to win the whole competition and his bravado is unwavering, despite being drawn in a group with Spain, the Netherlands and Australia. In a press conference Monday, Juventus’ midfield juggernaut Arturo Vidal welcomed the opportunity to play Germany and “send a signal” to other teams that he believes should “fear” Chile.

The players boast the two highest international profiles in the Chile squad and for good reason. Described by Sampaoli as “the Lionel Messi of midfielders,” Vidal was crowned Juventus’ player of the season last year and is currently a Barcelona target. Sánchez struggled in his debut season for the Spanish giants, though a healthy feud with Brazil superstar Neymar sees the boy from Tocopilla playing the best soccer of his life.

Löw and those in his charge, however, know Vidal and Sánchez well, along with the 12 other players in Sampaoli’s 24-man squad who ply their trade in Europe. Perhaps Chile’s best chance to catch Germany off-guard will not be through those well tested channels, but via surprise packages from the Southern Hemisphere — most notably “El Mago.”

How do you solve a problem like Valdivia?

Throughout his playing career, scandal has followed Jorge “El Mago” Valdivia like a shadow. Destruction of hotel property and showing up to training inebriated are just two highlights in a litany of improprieties, and that’s off the pitch. Following his return to Brazil’s Palmeiras the board ordered a psychological examination of the player because of his consistent fouling. At his very worst, Valdivia tunes out and wanders vacantly across the grass, reducing his team to ten men with no cards given.

And yet the feeling of excitement within Chile when Sampaoli recalled the gambling addict was palpable. In a midfield of accomplished passers, Valdivia is on another level, capable of picking out the most unlikely of runners with a reverse flick, a dink over the top, a threaded through ball delivered while looking the other way. He is nonchalant, arrogant, devastating. He is a luxury item whose chances of playing Wednesday are enhanced by an injury-hit Chile side, and whose chances of playing at the World Cup boil down to whether or not the player responds to Sampaoli’s insistent demands that he work on his fitness.

Selección problems

Sampaoli’s squad is thinning by the day — Johnny Herrera will most likely replace injured captain and goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, midfielder Marcelo Díaz is out with a muscle tear, while wideman Jean Beausejour, wingback Eugenio Mena and defender Jose “Pepe” Rojas — all who prefer to play on the left — are doubts.

Alongside Carlos Carmona, Charles Aránguiz is expected to take up Díaz’s position in midfield. While the absence of the Basel man’s range of passing is a big blow to the side, Aránguiz’s workrate and athleticism may prove valuable in breaking up German possession.

Having mixed it up in attack in recent friendlies, Sampaoli promised further experimentation in his quest for a performing out-and-out striker, though reiterated that this position remains “Plan B” in his tactical manual at a press conference Tuesday.

“The first option is to play with a false nine, but we also have the chance to observe other players up front,” he said. “We saw Esteban Paredes and Carlos Muñoz up front against Costa Rica, now we will see Mauricio Pinilla.”

Pinilla will surely be chomping at the bit to prove himself under Sampaoli. The Cagliari man has excelled at times in Italian football over the years, though he has had a fraught international career. Pinilla was top scorer for Chile in the World Cup 2006 qualifiers, though the team failed to progress to the finals that year. After self-banishment from the squad in 2007 for sleeping with the captain’s wife, Pinilla narrowly missed the cut for the 2010 World Cup and former manager Marcelo Bielsa recalled the journeyman after the tournament only for the player to miss out due to injury. Sampaoli’s call-up in all likelihood represents the 30 year old’s last chance to represent Chile in the world’s biggest sporting event.

Indeed, Sampaoli may be tempted to start Pinilla against Germany — as Lars Bender is out with dead leg, Philipp Lahm may be moved into midfield, and the Argentine tactician could chose to play a regular nine and have Eduardo Vargas and Alexis Sánchez test Germany’s fullbacks on the flanks.

The last line

In truth, “La Roja’s” defenders are likely to be the busiest Chileans on the night. Sampaoli switches between an adventurous — at times devastating — three at the back and the conventional four-man defence that will probably be used against Germany. Should Pepe Rojas not play, Universidad de Chile’s Osvaldo González and Flamengo’s Marcos González could be flanked by Nottingham Forrest’s Gonzalo Jara on the left and Gary Medel on the right.

While options run shallow at the back for Chile, the Cardiff player adds a level of dynamism that is invaluable. His aggression can be overwhelming — as Andrés Iniesta experienced in a friendly last year — and his competence with the ball at his feet allows him to flit into a central role between the midfield and backline and orchestrate swift counters when possession changes hands. In a team possessing superstars and talismanic bad boys, Medel is the unsung fulcrum essential to Chile’s success.

“La Roja” and Germany kick off their first clash since 1982 in Stuttgart at 4:45 p.m. Chile time.

How do you solve a problem like Valdivia?

Throughout his playing career, scandal has followed Jorge “El Mago” Valdivia like a shadow. Destruction of hotel property and showing up to training inebriated are just two highlights in a litany of improprieties, and that’s off the pitch. Following his return to Brazil’s Palmeiras the board ordered a psychological examination of the player because of his consistent fouling. At his very worst, Valdivia tunes out and wanders vacantly across the grass, reducing his team to ten men with no cards given.

And yet the feeling of excitement within Chile when Sampaoli recalled the gambling addict was palpable. In a midfield of accomplished passers, Valdivia is on another level, capable of picking out the most unlikely of runners with a reverse flick, a dink over the top, a threaded through ball delivered while looking the other way. He is nonchalant, arrogant, devastating. He is a luxury item whose chances of playing Wednesday are enhanced by an injury-hit Chile side, and whose chances of playing at the World Cup boil down to whether or not the player responds to Sampaoli’s insistent demands that he work on his fitness.

Smukt. Rigtige genier forstås ikke i deres samtid. Viva El Mago!

WB Trendy ! godt at se du er i live og at Colo Colo pludselig succes ikke har haft helbredsmæssige konsekvenser.


Ja glæder mig til at se Chile ved VM, Valdivia, Vidal, Fernandez, Diaz, Medel, , Aranguiz, Vargas og Sanchez skal nok, vise deres værd, Chile bør sagtens kunne spille lige Spanien og Holland, s det bliver afgjort på marginalerne.

Spændende kamp mod tyskerne om end de er lidt skadesramte (Claudio Bravo og Marcelo Diaz) - Eugenio Mena skulle også være tvivlsom