Sports

Diego Forlan’s Uruguay arrived at Kolkata airport at around 4:20 pm on a private black aircraft from Seoul, South Korea. The team was escorted through the VIP gate at the airport and immediately boarded the team bus. Tight security arrangements were in place to ensure that the players did not have to pass through crowds outside the airport. The team bus was escorted directly to the Hyatt Regency, located close to the Yuba Bharati Krirangan. The journey from the airport to the team hotel took around 25 minutes.

Organisers at the hotel initially expected the players to check into their rooms and take some rest after the journey. However, Uruguay’s players had other plans. Within about an hour of arriving at the hotel, members of the squad appeared in the lobby and soon got involved in their scheduled activities. After a brief meeting with head coach Diego Forlan, the players were divided into different groups depending on their workload and their involvement in the previous match.

Those who had played against South Korea the previous day were sent for recovery sessions. Some headed to the swimming pool while others worked out at the hotel gym. The objective was to help the players recover from the physical demands of the match and prepare them for the upcoming fixture.

Meanwhile, five players who had not featured in the match against South Korea were sent to the practice ground inside the Yuba Bharati Krirangan complex. They spent around an hour working on their physical conditioning without using the ball. The session focused primarily on maintaining fitness and ensuring that the players remained ready for the next challenge.

Uruguay are scheduled to hold a full team training session at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Thursday afternoon. The session will provide the coaching staff with an opportunity to work with the complete squad and make final preparations for the upcoming match.

Kolkata, meanwhile, is preparing for the arrival of another major football powerhouse. Soon after Uruguay complete their training session, Brazil are expected to arrive in the city. Vinicius Junior and his Brazilian teammates are travelling to Kolkata by private aircraft from Brisbane, adding another major attraction for football fans in the city.

The Indian team coached by Khalid Jamil will also be looking to make the most of the opportunity to test themselves against two former world champions. Facing Uruguay and Brazil provides the Indian side with a chance to compete against teams with a rich international footballing history and experience at the highest level.

Preparations for the Brazil match also remained a major focus in Kolkata. A meeting was held at the Netaji Indoor Stadium on Wednesday evening to review arrangements for the high profile fixture. State officials, sports department representatives, All India Football Federation president Kalyan Chaubey and senior officials from various departments were present at the meeting.

During the meeting, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari sought detailed updates from the officials regarding preparations for the Brazil match. The focus was on ensuring that the event is organised smoothly and that all necessary arrangements are completed ahead of the arrival of the Brazilian team.

Security and spectator facilities were also discussed as key areas of preparation. Authorities are expected to pay particular attention to crowd management, security arrangements and the overall experience of supporters travelling to the stadium to watch the match.

With Uruguay already beginning their preparations and Brazil set to arrive in Kolkata, excitement around the international football fixtures is building rapidly. The presence of two celebrated football nations has brought added attention to the city and football fans are now eagerly waiting to see the teams in action at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan.