Uruguay Accused of Hurrying Arrascaeta's Return and Ignoring Medical Protocol

Flamengo President Le BAP expressed strong dissatisfaction with the Uruguay national team's handling of midfielder Arrascaeta's injury. In a statement on Charla Podcast on Sunday (14), the red-and-black leader criticized coach Marcelo Bielsa for allegedly ignoring Flamengo's medical protocol and accelerating Arrascaeta's return to training.

Bap detailed that there had been prior contacts with the Uruguay national team's medical staff, describing a "good" relationship. According to him, the club presented Arrascaeta's clinical situation and the recovery plan, aiming for his return in the second semester, a critical period for Flamengo.

However, the Uruguay national team's medical staff agreed to the recovery plan, guaranteeing that Arrascaeta would not return to the pitch before 15 days. But the agreement was not respected, and the decision to expedite Arrascaeta's return led to a new injury, causing frustration within the Rio club.

This incident is not the first time there has been controversy surrounding Arrascaeta's treatment. Uruguay national team coach Marcelo Bielsa publicly discussed Arrascaeta's condition. The left leg injury originated from friction, which occurred when Arrascaeta was with the national delegation, already on convalescence from a previous problem with his clavicle.

In his defense, Bielsa stated that the matter had been handled by a professional who accompanied him for years and also works at Flamengo. He emphasized there was an alignment and dialogue between the team, the club, and the player himself. Although Bielsa's statement partially corroborates what Bap said about the initial agreement, the Flamengo president maintains that the agreed-upon plan was not properly executed.

It is worth noting that the physiotherapist from Flamengo, Laniyan Neves, is currently working with the Uruguay national team at the World Cup. The professional's presence was requested by Arrascaeta himself, who has developed a long working relationship with Neves at the Ninho do Urubu training center.

Uruguay's World Cup debut is set for Monday (15), at 19:00 (Brasilia time), against Saudi Arabia in Group H. Arrascaeta will not be available for this first match-up. It is expected that the midfielder will return to the pitch only during the final round of the group stage, against Spain.

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