Venezuela To Prepare For F/Eagles In Spain

Coach, Federation President Speak On U-20 W/Cup Draw

The Venezuelan U-20 National Team, the Vinotinto will camp in Spain, as part of preparations for the U-20 World Youth Championship coming up in Egypt in September.


The team is grouped alongside Nigeria, Spain and Tahiti in Group B and already the coach of the team, Ceasar Farias believes the Flying Eagles have an advantage over the other teams in the group.


“We are in a very hard group. Especially Nigeria who will be playing on their home continent and are well adapted to the heat,”


The coach who refused to predict how far his team will go in the tournament, however insisted they will not be pushovers


“We are not going to Egypt to be extra at the tournament. We are going to work so that we can earn respect for Venezuela”.


Football Federation, Seraph Boutureira reckons his country’s group is a very difficult one with two World Champions. He argued that even though Nigeria are yet to win this competition, they had reached the finals on two occasions and won the U-17 trophy. Spain on the other hand, according to Boutureira, were runners-up to Nigeria at the last U-17 World Cup and have won the U-20 trophy before in 1999.


“Even we have take into account that if Tahiti are in the World Cup, it is because they are also good so we cannot underrate or take them for granted,” Boutureira said


He also reiterated the need to adequately prepare knowing fully well the quality of opposition they will confront.


“It is very important for us to carefully choose the squad that will be able to with stand the opponents, because our rivals have a great soccer tradition and we, as newcomers to the World Cup, must continue working to overcome all difficulties”.


The Vinotintos are expected to play two friendly matches while Farias carries out an extensive search for players to beef up the squad before finally moving to Spain for the final phase of camping.