Uruguay team assemble for World Cup training
Montevideo, May 23 (IANS) The coach of the Uruguay national football team has announced the start of their training here for next month’s 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Oscar Washington Tabarez spoke of a preliminary list of 26 players that he recently announced and said he has “finalized quite many things,” although for “some specific cases” there are still “some doubts”, Efe news agency reported.
The coach who has led the Uruguay national team since 2006 said that the situation “is quite similar to previous years” and that the current squad will be able to give “solutions to hypothetical situations against their rivals.”
In addition, Tabarez added that he congratulated “more than ever” all the players for their “very positive experiences” they had this season with their clubs.
The national team began their training at the Celeste Complex. They are still waiting to be joined, among others, by Luis Suarez, Diego Godin and Edinson Cavani.
They arrived in Uruguay on Monday but took a week-long vacation to their hometown of Salto, in the north of the country.
According to Tabarez, Uruguay, who are a part of Group A along with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Russia, will release the final list of 23 players before June 4, which will mean that three players who were included in the preliminary list will have to be dropped.
FIFA to lift ban on Libya
Tripoli, May 23 (IANS) FIFA President Gianni Infantino has said that the ban on international football matches in Libya will be lifted soon.
“The head of the presidential council (of the government) Fayez Sarraj, has received an official letter from FIFA president Gianni Infantino, on the demands to lift the ban on Libya hosting international matches, reports Xinhua news agency.
“Infantino confirmed to have had the opportunity to review the report submitted by the (FIFA) committee on Libya, and expressed confidence that it will not take long for international matches to return to Libya,” the media office of the Libyan government said in a statement.
Infantino said the FIFA will reach a solution very soon. Infantino expressed appreciation for the urgent desire of the Libyan people and government to host international matches.
A senior FIFA delegation paid a visit here in April to consider lifting the ban.
FIFA has banned international matches in Libyan stadiums since 2013 due to the deteriorating security situation in the country.