Mexico

Nacional's Pelusso: Easiest Solution? Ban Mexican Clubs

Nacional manager Gerardo Pelusso said the best way to solve the quandary facing CONMEBOL over Mexican clubs and the H1N1 flu outbreak would be ban San Luis and Chivas altogether.

May 6, 2009 2:16:58 AM

Gerardo Pelusso - Nacional (La Republica)

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Gerardo Pelusso - Nacional (La Republica)

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With the H1N1 flu outbreak spreading to more than 20 countries worldwide, Copa Libertadores matches are unable to be played in the country from where it originated.

Nacional of Uruguay manager Gerardo Pelusso, whose team is scheduled to play Mexican club San Luis in the Round of 16, was asked by Uruguayan network Canal 10 if the best solution to the problem over the H1N1 flu outbreak was to have gotten rid of the Mexican clubs in the first place.

"I believe so," Pelusso said.

For Pelusso, the easiest way to to figure out the conundrum of the Mexican clubs is to eliminate from the tournament. That will not happen, of course, as CONMEBOL will announce Wednesday where the games will be played. The respective Round of 16 series between Nacional and San Luis as well as Chivas-Sao Paulo were each postponed a week since the opening legs of the tournament were to have been played on Mexican soil.

Instead, they will be played at a location to be announced.

Pelusso would rather his team receive a bye than to risk his players from any possible contamination, however remote it may be.

"There are interests beyond football," Pelusso said. "One of them is the health of the players. That to me is very clear."

Still, despite the seemingly anti-Mexico stance, Pelusso said he harbors no ill will towards the country.

"The first time I left Uruguay, I went to play in Mexico," Pelusso said. "I was received well. It's a beautiful country. . . but in a situation like this, when from a sporting point-of-view it is so clear yet everyone is trying to figure out from all angles a way to solve the problem."

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