England's players volition not person capable clip to accommodate to the challenges of playing astatine precocious altitude earlier they instrumentality connected Mexico successful their World Cup last-16 game, says caput manager Thomas Tuchel.
Harry Kane's double against DR Congo booked England's travel to Mexico City's Azteca Stadium - which is astir 7,200ft supra oversea level - connected Monday, 6 July astatine 01:00 BST, successful a lucifer you tin travel unrecorded crossed BBC TV, vigor and online.
At that altitude, the Earth's barometric unit is lower, making the aerial thinner and meaning little oxygen is taken into the bloodstream with each breath, which creates wide difficulties for athletes and is apt to go a cardinal origin successful the crippled for England.
Mexico, meanwhile, person played each 4 of their World Cup games astatine precocious altitude, with 3 matches astatine the Azteca Stadium and the different successful Guadalajara – which is astir 5,000ft supra oversea level - truthful their players are accustomed to the thinner air.
"The altitude volition beryllium a large disadvantage due to the fact that we cannot physically accommodate to it," said Tuchel.
"It conscionable takes excessively overmuch time. We person lone 3 days successful betwixt these matches. It's physically conscionable not imaginable to accommodate to the altitude.
"That is conscionable a immense vantage that Mexico volition have.
"In 4 days, it's conscionable impossible. More obstacles whitethorn come, but we are acceptable for that.
"This is conscionable thing with which we volition person to deal. And I deliberation we showed the cognition that we are acceptable for that."
English (US)·