Uruguay will have to play twice in the coming week as part of their World Cup qualifying games.
FIFA has inserted a new international break to give Asian and South American nations extra time to catch up with their World Cup qualification tournaments. South American teams will each play two games in the upcoming week.
Uruguay will face Paraguay on Thursday before hosting Venezuela five days later. The second game takes place only two days before Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey clash against Athletic Bilbao.
This will most likely prevent Real Madrid star Federico Valverde from participating in the game. Four other Blancos stars, who play for Brazil, will also miss the game.
Atletico Madrid Luis Suarez will have to face his former side Barcelona on February 6. The situation has left the strike frustrated ahead of the crucial World Cup qualifiers.
“I have to speak about the physical part of being a human being as well as a sportsman,” he told reporters (via Stadium Astro).
“We cannot understand how it is that we will compete in a World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and that Pajarito [Valverde] in this case, will have to compete in a Copa del Rey match.
“That my colleagues from Getafe, Mauro, Damian and Mati, will have to play that Friday in a LaLiga match. The schedule is quite tight, but we have to adapt to it.
“We are professionals and will do our job on the pitch because that is demanded from us, but sometimes the players are not in other people’s thoughts.
“It happened before when we played three qualifiers in 10 days, with long trips of more than 12-15 hours, and obviously fatigue then has an influence.”
Uruguay, who have lost their last four qualifiers, sit seventh in the CONMEBOL standings. Suarez and co will play their last two qualifying matches against Peru and Chile in March.
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