The Uruguay national football team, La Celeste, landed in Kolkata on Wednesday afternoon ahead of an international friendly against India on October 6. Coached by Diego Forlán, the squad checked into the Hyatt Regency Kolkata near the Salt Lake Stadium, where they will hold their first training session on Thursday evening.
Without captain Valverde
Uruguay arrive for this fixture without their captain and star, Federico Valverde. The Real Madrid midfielder injured his ankle during the Madrid derby in La Liga and will be sidelined for several weeks. Manager Diego Forlán confirmed the news upon arrival. "Uruguay are here without skipper Federico Valverde," Forlán said. Youngster Emiliano Martínez has been named as his replacement in the squad.
This absence adds to that of veteran striker Luis Suárez, leaving the attacking burden on players like Darwin Núñez, who scored a brace in the recent 4-1 win over South Korea, and Giorgian de Arrascaeta, who netted another in that match. Uruguay come into the game on inconsistent form, with one win, two draws and two losses in their last five outings, including a 3-1 defeat to Japan last week.
A historic return to Kolkata
This visit marks Uruguay's return to Kolkata for the first time since they won the inaugural Nehru Cup in 1982, a tournament that saw Enzo Francescoli make his debut. The early arrival, ahead of rivals Brazil who are due on Thursday, allows the Charrua squad to acclimatise. Soon after landing, four or five players had a brief activation session on the Salt Lake Stadium practice pitches to get a feel for the conditions.
The match against India is next up for La Celeste. It will be a chance to fine-tune details before resuming their World Cup qualification campaign, where their goal difference stands at three scored and four conceded. The event organiser stated that this historic friendly series is supported by Principal Partner Style Baazar and Powered by Amul, aiming to build on football interest generated during the recent World Cup.
The team hopes this fixture will help solidify a collective game that allows them to close the gap in the World Cup standings.
First reported at Hindustan Times Sports
