When Chile face Argentina in the Copa America final on Saturday their players will have been well-drilled in all aspects of the Lionel Messi...
When Chile face Argentina in the Copa America final on Saturday their players will have been well-drilled in all aspects of the Lionel Messi’s game, and will have put a few hours in on the PlayStation too.
Coach Jorge Sampaoli said: ‘We have a simulation program that uses PlayStation technology and allows players to move the team around the pitch using a joystick. We can tell a player: “We are going to press in 4-4-2” and the software shows us how that will work against our rival.’
The tactic has been used to improve the way Chile attack too and Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez has put more hours in than most as the host nation try to beat the favourites.
Sampaoli plans to play Gary Medel, Francisco Silva and Eugenio Mena as a back three with Marcelo Díaz and Charles Aranguiz as wing-backs and Arturo Vidal, Mauricio Isla and Jean Beausejour in midfield behind Eduardo Vargas and Sanchez in attack.
The system gives Arsenal’s player of the season the minimum defensive responsibilities and will be used in the hope that he can do to Argentina what Messi plans to do to Chile.
Sanchez knows all about Messi from his days at the Nou Camp. And Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo is also an expert after a season training and playing alongside him.
Bravo said: ‘It’s not easy to control Messi. Because he has so much talent you don’t know what he is going to do next.
‘We will not man-mark him because the strongest thing about our team is that we are a unit. We all have to concentrate and make sure we neutralise Leo.
We wait to see how well it works out!
Source: Dailymail