Marcelo Bielsa faces scepticism in Uruguay before World Cup after pragmatic Wembley draw | OneFootball

Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay leaned on defensive shape in a 1-1 draw with England, yet he remains a divisive figure at home before the World Cup. According to L'Équipe, he is far from uniting opinion. Algeria await in Turin at 20:30.

Uruguay qualified fourth in South America with 28 points and will face Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde and Spain in Group H. Bielsa’s reign opened with notable wins over Brazil and Argentina, then stalled amid unrest and a 1-5 loss to the United States on 19 November.

At Wembley he prioritised a compact shape, restoring several old hands and using a 4-4-3. The match finished 1-1 against Thomas Tuchel’s side, Federico Valverde equalising from the spot at 90+4.

Luis Suarez has said players were not enjoying themselves and were carrying extra burden because of a distant approach. Edinson Cavani has retired from international football, and former assistant Mario Rebollo spoke of a relationship crisis between coach and squad.

After the London draw Bielsa said England controlled two thirds of the game, praised his team’s intensity and defensive solidity, and rued limited creativity. He has also admitted he has not fully won the squad’s buy-in since taking charge.

Despite the turbulence, his position appears secure. A crisis meeting late last year at the Uruguayan federation concluded he would stay until his contract ends in July if misunderstandings were addressed. Uruguayan media still lament a lack of structure in midfield, and Joaquin Piquerez is out after an ankle injury on Friday.

Source: L'Équipe