After defeat to Paraguay, Lorenzo calls for patience

“We are under construction”: after Colombia’s defeat to Paraguay, Néstor Lorenzo defended a patient approach while also showing self-criticism. At a press conference, the coach asked supporters for patience following what he described as a surprising loss. Criticism focused on the team’s overall play and lack of clarity on the pitch, as Colombia takes a close look at its recent preparatory fixtures.

Lorenzo acknowledged that the side had shown footballing weaknesses over the 90 minutes. He did not, however, portray the squad as complete. “We are in a building phase; we have to tell the truth: the team is not put together, and many players who will be part of this cycle were missing. We let them recover after a very intense year. We want to bring players in gradually and see who will be part of the process,” he said.

The coach also recalled that friendly matches offer a chance to test alternatives and assess new players. Selection decisions, he added, are based on sporting performance as well as the human qualities within the group. His message after the defeat was therefore twofold: acknowledge the current difficulties while continuing to build the team through the process.