Colombia vs. Tunisia: Preview and TV schedule
Colombia won’t have Radamel Falcao, something they may have to get used to.
That is the setting for Wednesday’s friendly between the two countries at Estadi Mini Nou Camp (why yes, of course Barcelona’s B team has a stadium that seats over 15,000). And it’s not just any World Cup preparatory match for Colombia either -- it’s a look at life without Radamel Falcao.
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The Colombian striker is still holding out hope that he can return from a torn cruciate ligament in time to make the World Cup team and he just might, but it's tough to imagine him being near full fitness and his best form. That means figuring out how to make some combination of Teofilo Gutierrez, Jackson Martinez, Adrian Ramos, Carlos Bacca and Luis Muriel work. Odds are it's Gutierrez and Martinez, both of whom are in good form and were excellent for Jose Pekerman's side in qualifying, but Ramos' scintillating 14-goal form for Hertha Berlin this season makes him a candidate to force his way onto the pitch.
Aside from the questions up top, Colombia are relatively set heading into the summer. Their back line is fit and after conceding the fewest goals in South American qualifying, that’s all they need. Meanwhile, James Rodriguez has found his stride at Monaco and Fredy Guarin has been strong at Internazionale. Falcao aside -- and that’s a big aside -- Colombia are ready for the World Cup.
Tunisia doesn't have a World Cup to prepare for, nor any sort of certainty in their team. They haven't played since losing to Cameroon in the final round of qualifying to keep them from Brazil and manager Nizar Khanfir has only been hired on an interim basis. Making matters worse, at least for Wednesday, are the absences of Moez Ben Cherifia, Rami Jridi and Aymen Mathlouthi, all of whom were left to play for their clubs.
If the match wasn’t a big enough mismatch to begin with, Colombia now have an even cleaner path to victory and Brazil.
Squads
Colombia: David Ospina, Faryd Mondragon, Camilo Vargas, Mario Yepes, Luis Amaranto Perea, Pablo Armero, Cristian Zapata, Santiago Arias, Stefan Medina, Eder Alvarez Balanta, Fredy Guarin, Abel Aguilar, Carlos Sanchez, Macnelly Torres, Aldo Leao Ramirez, Juan Guillermo Cuadrado, James Rodriguez, Edwin Valencia, Alexander Mejia, Victor Ibarbo, Juan Fernando Quintero, Teofilo Gutierrez, Jackson Martinez, Adrian Ramos, Carlos Bacca, Luis Muriel.
Tunisia: Hamdi Kasraoui, Farouk Ben Mustapha, Atef Dekhli, Yassin Mikari, Ammar Jemal, Alaeddine Yahia, Syam Ben Youssef, Ali Maaloul, Hamza Mathlouthi, Mohamed Ali Yacoubi, Oussama Darragi, Hocine Ragued, Zouheir Dhaouadi, Fakhreddine Ben Youssef, Anis Ben-Hatira, Wahbi Khazri, Ferjani Sassi, Houcine Nater, Hatten Baratli, Issam Jemaa, Hamza Younes, Edem Rjaibi.
Match date/time: Wednesday, 7 p.m. local, 1 p.m. ET
Venue: Estadi Mini Nou Camp, Barcelona, Spain
TV: beIN Espanol (U.S.), Caracol TV (Colombia), beIN Sports Arabia 15 (Tunisia)
Online: beIN Sports Play (U.S.)
