By Alfredo Echenique Lugo
Sep 18, 2024, 4:37 PM EDT
The last date of the Conmebol Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup left some controversies. Among the most notable was the opening of the El Alto Municipal Stadium, the new home of the Bolivian national team, located more than 4,100 meters above sea level.
Bolivia’s rival in that match, the Venezuelan national team, complained after the game about the “inhumane conditions” that exist at that altitude. However, the Bolivian Football Federation does not seem to have the slightest intention of changing the venue.
Even recently, the Bolivian coach, Oscar Villegas, spoke about this matter and responded to the Vinotinto’s complaints about this venue and its conditions due to the altitude.
“We wanted to play in El Alto because there was a good sports field, because we wanted to play good football, primarily, because it is a few meters higher and that does not fall well to the rivals, it seems excellent to us, but there is a good field to develop good football and that makes it easier for us when we have to go out to play with other teams because there we found very good sports fields,” said the coach.
Bolivia’s next opponent at home will be the Colombian national team, who are on a good run and are second in the standings. For this match, Villegas’ team will once again try to take advantage of the high altitude at the Estadio Municipal de El Alto.
“We are already focused on Colombia, on analyzing everything it has, everything it could offer,” emphasized the Bolivian coach.
On the other hand, with less than a month to go before the match, Colombian coach Néstor Lorenzo sent a commission this week to El Alto to observe the conditions to which the Colombian team will have to submit.
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