Chile leave out young stars

NEWS: Nelson Acosta has left some of Chile’s best young players out of his Copa America squad so that they can compete in the Under-20 World Cup in Canada.

Striker Alexis Sanchez and defender Arturo Vidal, who are both due to join European clubs next season, are the most surprising omissions.

Acosta (pictured above) told AP: “I know my job is at stake in Copa America, but I put Chile’s interests ahead. Chile has a chance of winning a world title.”

Sanchez (right), 18, will join Udinese in Italy after the youth World Cup in July and 19-year-old Vidal will join German club Bayer Leverkusen.
Lazio midfielder Luis Jimemnez, reported to be having marital problems, has also been left out of the 25-man squad, which must be reduced to 22 players at least five days before the Copa America starts on June 26.

Chile provisional Copa America squad

Goalkeepers:
Claudio Bravo (Real Sociedad (Sp)), Nicolas Peric (Audax Italiano), Fernando Hurtado (Cobreloa).

Defenders:
Alvaro Ormeno (Gimnasia), Gonzalo Jara (Colo Colo), Gonzalo Fierro (Colo Colo), Boris Rieloff (Audax Italiano), Ismael Fuentes (Jaguares (Mex)), Jorge Vargas (Red Bulls Salzburg (Aut)), Pablo Contreras (Celta Vigo (Sp)), Sebastian Roco (Santiago Wanderers), Rodrigo Tello (Sporting Lisbon (Por)).

Midfielders:
Arturo Sanhueza (Colo Colo), Rodrigo Melendez (Colo Colo), Manuel Iturra (Univeridad de Chile), Jose Luis Cabion (Melipilla), Jorge Valdivia (Palmeiras (Brz)), Matias Fernandez (Villarreal (Sp)), Carlos Villanueva (Audax Italiano), Mark Gonzalez (Liverpool (Eng)) .

Forwards:
Reinaldo Navia (Atlas (Mex)), Humberto Suazo (Colo Colo), Juan Lorca (Colo Colo), Rodolfo Moya (Audax Italiano), Roberto Gutierrez (Universidad Catolica).