Uruguay announces friendly soccer match against Cuba

Havana, June 3 (RHC) - Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa announced his first call-up as Uruguay coach for the Fifa matches corresponding to the month of June.

The list was released Friday night on the official profiles of the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) and includes 31 selected players.

The renewal in all positions is striking, as well as some absences of key figures for the Celeste as Federico Valverde or Darwin Nunez, perhaps the most media Uruguayan players.

These are in addition to the expected absences of the injured Ronald Araujo, Santiago Bueno, José María Giménez, Rodrigo Bentancur, Brian Ocampo, Ignacio Laquintana and Jonathan Rodríguez.

Finally, "El Loco" Bielsa opted not to call up veterans Luis Suárez, Edinson Cavani, Fernando Muslera, Diego Godín and Martín Cáceres.

Instead, he came up with a group of young players who were the basis of the South American country's youth teams.

The call-up includes names such as Facundo Pellistri, Manchester United striker; Matias Vecino, Lazio midfielder; Rodrigo Zalazar, Shalke 04 attacker; Diego Rossi, also a striker for Turkish Fenerbache; Matias Viña, defender for F. C. Bournemouth of the Premier League; and defender Lucas Olaza, who also plays in the Spanish league.

The list is completed with goalkeepers Sergio Rochet (Nacional), Franco Israel (Sporting Lisbon), Santiago Mele (Unión Santa Fé Argentina) and Randall Rodríguez (Peñarol).

In defense are Bruno Méndez (Corinthians), Mauricio Lemos (Atlético Mineiro), Sebastián Boselli (Defensor Sporting), Facundo González (Valencia Mestalla of Spain), Sebastián Cáceres (Club América), Guillermo Varela (Flamengo), José Luis Rodríguez (Vasco da Gama), Mateo Ponte (Danubio), Joaquín Piquérez (Palmeiras). 

In the midfield will be Emiliano Martínez (Midtjylland of Denmark), Fabricio Díaz (Liverpool of Uruguay), Felipe Carballo (Gremio), Agustín Canobbio (Athletico Paranaense) and Maximiliano Araujo (Toluca).

Also called up were forwards Facundo Torres (Orlando City), Brian Rodríguez (Club América), Luciano Rodríguez (Liverpool of Uruguay), Anderson Duarte (Defensor Sporting), Matías Arezo (Peñarol), Thiago Borbas (Red Bull Bargantino) and Federico Viñas (Club América).

The Uruguayan national team will play against Cuba on June 20 at the Centenario stadium. Before that, they will play against Nicaragua on June 14, as part of the Fifa dates scheduled for this month, which will mark Bielsa's debut as their coach.