Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte has opened up on Uruguay’s clash with Bolivia tonight which will be a huge test for his fitness.
Ugarte is set to represent his country at the Estadio Municipal de El Alto, which is situated around 4,1000 metres above sea level. Playing football at altitudes above sea level can impact performance due to reduced oxygen levels, leading to fatigue, slower reaction times, and decreased endurance.
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El Alto, which is Spanish for “The Heights”, is known as the highest major city in the world and is often a major struggle for some of the world’s best teams due to exhaustion and low oxygen levels. Ugarte spoke on the venue which he admits will be tough as his nation looks to qualify for the World Cup.
“I’ve never played there before, so I’m not quite sure what to expect,” he said at a press conference. “They say it’s very complicated and different from a normal game.
“We need to stay compact defensively when we don’t have the ball and focus on catching our breath when we do possess it. That is going to be crucial. We’ll see how we cope with it.”
After missing the 1-0 home defeat to Argentina last week, Ugarte is excited to grab 3 points in what he hopes will be a better performance.
“We could have played much better and created more chances,” he said of the loss to the world champions. “But that’s behind us now.
“We need to focus on securing the three points against Bolivia.
“I had a hamstring injury last month but now I feel great as we approach the final stretch of the year.”
