England have been forced to take special precautions ahead of their World Cup last-16 clash with Mexico on Sunday, with Thomas Tuchel's side keeping the location of their hotel a secret to avoid a sabotage threat from local fans.
Ecuador's Disruption Prompts Action
Ecuador, who lost 2-0 to the tournament co-hosts in the first knockout round on Tuesday night, had seen their pre-game preparations heavily disrupted. Their squad was deliberately kept awake through the night by Mexican fans who gathered outside the team hotel and used loudspeakers, horns, music, cars and motorcycles to make as much noise as possible. The South American team have since lodged an official complaint to FIFA, but England are keen to avoid facing the same level of disruption.
There is concern that their location will ultimately be leaked on social media, with more special action being taken to prevent players from having a disrupted night. According to the BBC, England players who have not brought their own sleeping devices - including ear plugs or sleep bands - will be offered white noise machines or natural sleep remedies to ensure they get essential sleep.
Schedule Changes and Training Adjustments
Tuchel's side have also changed their schedule to arrive in Mexico City two days before the game, having mostly landed in the host city the night before earlier in the tournament. However, FIFA rules stipulate that, at this stage of the World Cup, teams must hold a part-open training session in the local area the day before a match. While they had been holding this in Kansas, they will now train in Mexico.
Altitude Challenge at Azteca Stadium
Noisy locals and changes to travel plans aren't the only challenges that the Three Lions will face in the Mexican capital, with the game being held at the Azteca Stadium in high altitude, approximately 2,240m above sea level. While athletes competing at high altitude are advised to spend a week or two living at that level to let their body acclimatise, Tuchel's men have just a couple of days, having only booked their place in the last-16 by beating DR Congo on Wednesday.
Mexico, who are used to the demands of high altitude, have only lost twice at the Azteca in 89 competitive matches and have won all of their games at this year's World Cup so far without conceding a goal.
Tuchel Admits Disadvantage
Ahead of the game, Tuchel has admitted that his side will be at a major disadvantage due to the high altitude, with it "impossible" for his players to appropriately acclimatise with such a short turnaround. "The altitude will be a big disadvantage because we cannot physically adapt to it," he said. "And in four days, it's just impossible. More obstacles may come, but we are ready for that. My understanding is that we cannot adapt to the altitude. That is just a huge advantage that Mexico will have. It just takes too much time. We have only three days in between these matches. It's physically just not possible to adapt to the altitude, which is quite high. We knew that before. This is just something with which we will have to deal with. And I think we showed the attitude that we are ready for that."
