Holders Uruguay go to Chile aware it will not be easy to retain the record 15th Copa America they won in Argentina in 2011. Uruguay are without suspended striker Luis Suarez and in the middle of a rebuilding process while Argentina, their chief rivals in Group B, have a more settled squad.
“This is a team game and affinities between players need time to gel,” coach Oscar Tabarez said recently.
Tabarez has introduced several youngsters, notably striker Diego Rolan of Bordeaux, into the side he steered to fourth place at the 2010 World Cup and the last 16 in Brazil last year.
Photo gallery: 12 Copa America players to watch
He also has had to contend with the loss of Juventus full-back Martin Caceres, who is recovering from ankle surgery, and World Cup captain Diego Lugano, who only recently returned from an injury with Swedish side BK Haecken.
Uruguayan hopes up front fall largely on Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani, who has lost both his World Cup partners, including the retired Diego Forlan.
Suarez is serving a ban for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini during Uruguay’s 1-0 win over Italy in their group match in Brazil that will see him also miss some of his country’s 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
Carlos Sanchez, who is enjoying a fine season on the right wing for River Plate of Argentina, has emerged at the age of 30 and has won three caps since making his debut last November. He is considered the main option to partner Cavani in attack.
Previous appearances 41 (first in 1916)
Best performance winners a record 15 times - 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1935, 1942, 1956, 1959, 1967, 1983, 1987, 1995, 2011
Fifa world ranking 8
Coach: Oscar Washington Tabarez
Tabarez, who has been in charge since 2006 and is aiming for a place at a third successive World Cup finals in 2018, is realistic about his team’s chances of retaining their title in the face of strong opposition and without his chief weapon, suspended striker Luis Suarez.
“Our expectations are very particular, generally low profile since we never consider ourselves favourites for anything (and) this Copa America is very difficult,” Tabarez told Reuters in a recent interview.
Since reaching the last 16 at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Tabarez has been working on renewing his squad, a tough task given that he has to replace the likes of Diego Forlan and Diego Lugano.
He can rely on two attacking players who have shown good form this season in Argentina, winger Carlos Sanchez of River Plate and creative midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro of Boca Juniors.
Key player: Diego Godin
Centre back Godin is the defensive lynchpin of the team in the absence of former captain Diego Lugano as Uruguay set out to defend the title they won in Argentina four years ago.
He has built a solid career at Atletico Madrid as part of Diego Simeone’s side that has threatened the two-team hegemony of Barcelona and Real Madrid in La Liga.
He has scored some fine headed goals for club and country like the one in last year’s Champions League final that very nearly gave Atletico the title before Real hit back with a last gasp equaliser before winning 4-1 after extra time.
Godin will be partnered in central defence by young Atletico team mate Jose Maria Gimenez or Liverpool’s Sebastian Coates, who played on loan at Sunderland last season and was voted best young player at the 2011 Copa America.
Squad
Goalkeepers Fernando Muslera (Galatasaray), Martin Silva (Vasco da Gama), Rodrigo Munoz (Libertad)
Defenders Maxi Pereira (Benfica), Jose Maria Gimenez, Diego Godin (both Atletico Madrid), Sebastian Coates (Liverpool), Gaston Silva (Torino)
Midfielders Alvaro Pereira (Estudiantes), Mathias Corujo, Guzman Pereira (both Universidad de Chile), Jorge Fucile (Nacional), Alvaro Gonzalez (Torino), Carlos Sanchez (River Plate), Egidio Arevalo Rios (UANL Tigres), Nicolas Lodeiro (Boca Juniors), Cristian Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid)
Forwards Giorgian de Arrascaeta (Cruzeiro), Cristhian Stuani (Espanyol), Abel Hernandez (Hull City), Edinson Cavani (Paris St Germain), Diego Rolan (Girondins Bordeaux), Jonathan Rodriguez (Benfica)
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