Chilean coach concerned over players’ poor form

Santiago, March 5 (IANS) The Chilean football team’s coach has expressed concern over the poor performance of some of his players ahead of their friendly against Germany.

On the eve of the team’s match in Stuttgart, Xinhua quoted coach Jorge Sampaoli telling the Chilean media that “surprisingly we find ourselves with five or six players who are playing below their potential”.

Still, the match offered a good opportunity to see his players in action, he said, especially with the 2014 World Cup this summer in Brazil.

“It’s important to watch some of the players to see how they react. World Cups are often won by the substitutes,” Sampaoli told Chilean reporters at the team’s training camp.

“We have to treat these games as if they were World Cup games. It’s important to have players who are at their best. Today, unfortunately, we don’t have that,” said Sampaoli.

The game against Germany is a training match in the lead-up to the Brazil World Cup, in which 32 national teams from around the globe will vie for football’s top prize from June 12-July 13.

Chile’s team is in World Cup’s Group B with Spain, the Netherlands and Australia.

Chile’s first game will be against Australia June 13.

Germany are in Group G, along with Portugal, Ghana and the US.