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Colombia Coach Lorenzo Criticizes Long Copa America Final Halftime for Shakira
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Colombia coach Néstor Lorenzo voiced his disapproval of the extended halftime planned for Sunday night’s Copa America final, which includes a concert by Shakira.
Shakira, the Colombian pop star and former partner of Barcelona and Spain defender Gerard Piqué, will be the first musical act to perform during the halftime of the Copa America final. She has previously performed at three World Cups and the 2020 Super Bowl.
Due to her performance and the time needed to set up and dismantle the stage, the standard 15-minute halftime will be extended to 25 minutes for the match between Argentina and Colombia.
“I think it should be like any game,” Lorenzo said through an interpreter on Saturday. “It should be the 15 minutes according to the regulations.”
Lorenzo highlighted that South America’s governing body has sanctioned previous halftime delays earlier in the tournament.
Several organizations and coaches were fined for their teams’ late returns to the field, including Argentina’s Lionel Scaloni and Chile’s Ricardo Gareca.
Scaloni was suspended for Argentina’s last group match against Peru and was barred from the post-match news conference.
“When we came out in the 16th minute, they sanctioned us,” Lorenzo said. “Now it turns out that there is a show and we have to come out in the 20th or 25th minute.”
Lorenzo also raised concerns about the impact of the extended halftime on the players.
“That can actually affect the physical condition of our players because they can cool down too much,” Lorenzo stated.
Colombia aims to win its second Copa America championship, having previously won the title at home in 2001. The team triumphed over Uruguay in the semifinal to advance, extending its unbeaten streak to a team-record 28 games, which is currently the longest streak in men’s international soccer.
Argentina is seeking to secure its record 16th Copa America title, led by eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi.
Source: Associated Press
