England boss Tuchel not expecting 'hostile' Estadio Azteca for Mexico showdown

[p]The visitors trained ‌at Pumas UNAM's Cantera complex after arriving in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mexico/O6iHcNkd/"]Mexico[/a] City on Friday, getting their first feel of the ‌altitude before facing an unbeaten Mexico side backed by a raucous home crowd.[/p][p]"[b]We ‌are in an iconic place, an iconic stadium, a massive game, a knockout game against Mexico ‌at the Azteca,[/b]" Tuchel told reporters. "[b]It's an iconic match and a big stage, ‌and we feel it.[/b]"[/p][p]Much of the build-up has centred on Mexico City's 2,200-meter altitude after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/england/j9N9ZNFA/"]England[/a] had only four days between their round-of-32 victory over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/d-r-congo/phn9mm8H/"]DR Congo[/a] and Sunday's game.[/p][p]England's players, however, appeared relaxed ‌during the 15 minutes of training open to the media, ⁠joking with one another and smiling as ‌they went through their warm-up drills.[/p][p]Tuchel acknowledged the conditions during England's first training session in the ​capital and insisted his players would not use them as an excuse.[/p][p]"[b]The players felt it in the first minutes of the training session and the longer ​it went, they could cope with it better," the German said. "It's just what it is.[/b]"[/p][p]The England manager also dismissed suggestions his side expected a hostile reception despite facing the ⁠co-hosts in front of a ​fervent home crowd.[/p][p]"[b]I don't expect a hostile environment,[/b]" he said. "[b]I think it will be emotional and full of support for the home nation. Altitude, it is what it is. Home crowd, it is what it is.[/b][/p][p]"[b]We need to overcome obstacles, but we have the spirit, ‌the commitment, the pure will and the glue in the team to overcome these things.[/b]"[/p][embed guid="c36d6018-70a0-48d5-9f27-adce1e186b9d" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zhoUWSetfU" social-type="youtube" /][p]Midfielder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/henderson-jordan/UFMlUD6r/"]Jordan Henderson[/a] said England had embraced the magnitude of the occasion rather than the challenges surrounding it.[/p][p]"[b]It doesn't get much better or bigger than playing Mexico in Mexico City in this stadium,[/b]" the 36-year-old said.[/p][p]"[b]It's an incredible occasion for everyone. Mexico are a very good side. It'll be a really tough test, but everybody's looking forward to coming and playing this game[/b]."[/p][p]Henderson echoed his manager's view that England's focus remained on factors they could control.[/p][p]"[b]Everything that we can't influence, like altitude or kickoff ‌times, is not in our control[/b]," he said.[/p][p]"[b]For us, it's about full focus on ​our job ahead. No excuses. We're ready to go.[/b]"[/p][p]England return to the Azteca for ‌a competitive match for the first time since their 1986 World Cup quarter-final defeat by eventual champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/argentina/f9OppQjp/"]Argentina[/a], remembered for Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" goal and his brilliant solo effort later christened the "Goal of the Century".[/p][p]Tuchel rejected the idea that Sunday's match carried any sense of unfinished business.[/p][p]"[b]We're not here for revenge[/b]," he said. "[b]We ⁠are here to write our own chapters. ⁠We are in good spirits and ‌we are ready to go for tomorrow[/b]."[/p][embed guid="d4a0c757-7118-48cc-94e6-37cef5ebc8bf" url="https://x.com/SleeperFooty/status/2073595224509559057" social-type="twitter" /]