Thomas Tuchel has said England will face a “huge” disadvantage against Mexico in the World Cup last 16 because of the altitude in Mexico City.
The England manager also criticised Fifa for rules he believes have prevented his squad from being fully prepared for the knockout tie.
England will play against the co-hosts at the Azteca Stadium, around 2,240 metres above sea level, on Sunday. Mexico have already played three matches at the venue during the tournament, while England will arrive after travelling from their base in Kansas City.
The English Football Association consulted experts, including members of the British Olympic team, as part of its planning for the conditions. The advice was that teams should either spend around 10 days at altitude to acclimatise or, if that is not possible, travel as late as possible on matchday.
However, Fifa requires teams from the last-16 stage onwards to train at venue-specific sites near the stadium the day before matches, meaning England must arrive in Mexico City well before kick-off.
“The recommendation is you either go 10 days before – which is too long for us – or last minute, which is not allowed [by Fifa],” Tuchel said. “We have spoken to teams who do it and they say they travel very, very late on matchday if they cannot have time to adapt. [We must] find a mixture in between. It will stay as a disadvantage.”
Asked whether the situation was unfair, Tuchel replied: “Yes, it’s a huge advantage [for Mexico].”
However, the England manager suggested the current travelling plans may not be entirely unhelpful because the team need to experience match conditions at the location before the game.
“The ball will fly differently [at altitude],” Tuchel said. “It will fly maybe five yards more. It’s just difficult. We just need the experience.”
