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Tuchel: Adapting to Mexico City's altitude is impossible
๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ Mexico /Sports

Tuchel: Adapting to Mexico City's altitude is impossible

From El Universal · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • England manager Thomas Tuchel stated that adapting to Mexico City's altitude is impossible for his players.
  • He acknowledged the altitude's impact, noting players felt it during training and he slept poorly, but emphasized it's manageable.
  • Tuchel anticipates an aggressive start from Mexico, expecting the first 15-20 minutes to be the most challenging for his team.

England manager Thomas Tuchel acknowledged the significant challenge posed by Mexico City's altitude ahead of the match. He stated that adapting to the high elevation is impossible for his players, noting that even he experienced poor sleep upon arrival.

We cannot adapt physically, it is impossible, but that is why we arrived a day earlier, to experience it and that it is not during the warm-ups before the match.

โ€” Thomas TuchelTuchel discussed the impact of Mexico City's altitude on his players.

Tuchel admitted that his players felt the effects of the altitude during their first training session. "The players felt it in the first minutes of training, but it is what it is, we cannot adapt physically, it is impossible," he said. Despite this, he stressed that it is manageable and that arriving a day early was intended to help the team experience it before the game.

Anticipating an aggressive start from the Mexican team, Tuchel expects the initial 15 to 20 minutes to be the most difficult for England. "It is not a coincidence that Mexico starts its matches very strongly, very aggressively, because the first 15 or 20 minutes will be the most difficult for us," he added.

It is not a coincidence that Mexico starts its matches very strongly, very aggressively, because the first 15 or 20 minutes will be the most difficult for us.

โ€” Thomas TuchelTuchel anticipated Mexico's aggressive start due to the altitude.

Despite the daunting atmosphere of the Estadio Azteca, Tuchel expressed confidence in his experienced players. He stated that they are accustomed to intense matches in top leagues and the Champions League, preparing them to face the energy of the home crowd. "We expect that, but we have experienced players who play in the best teams in the world, they play intense matches in our league, in the Champions League, where they play against the energy of the stadiums, so we are ready for a tough start from the Mexican team," Tuchel said.

I do not expect a hostile environment, although there are few stadiums like this where an atmosphere can be created that helps believe in the home team, we expect that, but we have experienced players who play in the best teams in the world, they play intense matches in our league, in the Champions League, where they play against the energy of the stadiums, so we are ready for a tough start from the Mexican team, they will try to give us a taste of the 'national chili', but we need to find answers and that is the key of our team, that we are ready to find answers.

โ€” Thomas TuchelTuchel spoke about the expected atmosphere at the Estadio Azteca.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Universal in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.