Diego Forlán expects a demanding occasion when his side meets Japan, with a full stadium set to frame a contest he believes will be played at a high international level.
Speaking before the match, Forlán pointed to Japan’s depth of quality, noting that some of their players compete locally while many others are established in European football.
Quick facts
- Diego Forlán spoke before a match against Japan.
- He described Japan as a team containing high-quality, internationally experienced players.
- Forlán expects a difficult match and a sell-out crowd.
- He said his own squad has variety, technical ability, scorers and strong defensive options.
“We know Japan are a national team with excellent players and enormous quality,” Forlán said. “Some play here and many are in Europe, at a very good international level.”
He said the following day’s fixture would be difficult, as previous meetings had been. Forlán added that he had faced Japan during his playing career and expects supporters to fill the ground for what he called a top-level game.
The coach also underlined the range of options available to him when shaping a plan for the contest. In his view, the approach must be guided by the qualities within the squad rather than a fixed template.
Forlán said his group contains players who are comfortable on the ball, capable in front of goal and reliable defensively. “We feel fortunate to have a very good variety of top-level players,” he said.
