Bielsa backs up medical team after injuries shake up Uruguay's World Cup preparation

[p]With [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/uruguay/xMk44orG/"]Uruguay[/a] set ‌to open their World Cup campaign against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/saudi-arabia/biSY8ox4/"]Saudi Arabia[/a] on Monday, Bielsa defended his medical ‌team's approach after defender [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/araujo-ronald/M3sbJix9/"]Ronald Araujo[/a] suffered a muscle tear during ‌training to join [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gimenez-jose/IgRLzKhM/"]Jose Maria Gimenez[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-arrascaeta-giorgian/foizdExt/"]Giorgian de Arrascaeta[/a] on the injury ‌list.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/barcelona/SKbpVP5K/"]Barcelona[/a]'s Araujo also suffered an injury ahead of the 2022 World ‌Cup, and while he made the squad he did not play in the tournament in Qatar, where Uruguay made a group-stage exit.[/p][p][b]"Araujo arrived with a muscle problem which ‌wasn't serious. He had no serious muscle problems in ⁠the last six months at Barcelona. ‌He also suffered a muscle tear," Bielsa told reporters.[/b][/p][p][b]"My conclusion is the same. ​If the player gets injured in training, something is wrong. But Araujo works with a group he trusts a lot and ​no decisions were made without reaching a consensus with them and Araujo himself.[/b][/p][p][b]"We feel responsible, but we couldn't have done anything differently."[/b][/p][embed guid="5189abd0-9101-499c-9c8d-1b80cad9f555" url="https://x.com/Uruguay/status/2066212598983307607" social-type="twitter" /][p]Bielsa also compared ⁠the injury situations of Gimenez ​and Arrascaeta, who are recovering from ankle and calf injuries, respectively.[/p][p][b]"Gimenez had an ankle problem and joined training a week later because the people who monitored his entire recovery are used to working with him and he trusts ‌them a lot," Bielsa said.[/b][/p][p][b]"Finally, he's been with us for 15 days now and he has healed."[/b][/p][p]Bielsa said Arrascaeta was closely supported throughout camp despite a muscle injury, with staff taking responsibility while ensuring all decisions were made with his input, adding that every session was agreed upon between Uruguay, the player's team and his club, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/flamengo-rj/WjxY29qB/"]Flamengo[/a].[/p][p][b]"A muscle tear during recovery and preparation must necessarily be interpreted as a mistake," Bielsa said.[/b][/p][p][b]"Regarding whether we didn't take all the necessary measures to prevent it, we ‌took absolutely all the necessary measures."[/b][/p][image alt="Win probability" id="7c1a89ab-a912-4577-8df1-2a20832f0d8d" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="08506077-0665-47ec-85d0-4e9c69975e83" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]For the game against the Saudis, the ​Argentine tactician said there would be no changes to the open, possession-based ‌approach that has become his trademark.[/p][p][b]"The way we play is no secret. We try to have possession of the ball, we try to go forward and attack with many players," he said.[/b][/p][p][b]"We try to play on the other side of the pitch and recover the ⁠ball quickly. And also to ⁠have a good relationship between ‌possession and dangerous situations that we create."[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/saudi-arabia-biSY8ox4/uruguay-xMk44orG/?mid=Olnboqfd"]Follow the game with Flashscore.[/a][/p][infobox id="4ccc1b10-d68f-4c97-bcf4-5e613c17c2e3" /]