U.S. men’s coach Mauricio Pochettino said the door is open for new players to play against Mexico at the Estadio Akron in Guadalajara on Tuesday night, following the departure of five players.

Marlon Fossey, Zack Steffen, Weston McKennie and Ricardo Pepi left the US camp on Saturday after a 2-0 win over Panama due to injuries, while Christian Pulisic returned to AC Milan to avoid overload.

Now Pochettino will use the upcoming friendly as the last chance to observe other players before the next international match in November.

“It’s very important for the players because I think we all want to have the opportunity to play and show quality,” Pochettino said on Monday. “It’s true, it’s a problem because I don’t think we can have five players who can be involved with all our quality. Some players can’t be involved in the last match against Panama, and now in Mexico.”

“It’s a little sad because these guys who work here want to help and play for the team. But at the same time when one door is closed and another can be opened, there is an opportunity for another player to play.”

The United States will play El Tri in a friendly on Mexican soil for the first time in 12 years, winning the last meeting 1-0 at the Estadio Azteca on August 15, 2012. The new manager noted that playing abroad coaching will be. staff and players will have the opportunity to learn from the difficult atmosphere expected in Guadalajara, especially in the run-up to the 2026 World Cup.

“For us it is a different game to learn, to learn as a group to feel adversity, to feel that we are going to compete,” Pochettino said. “And that’s how we can grow our experience and then evolve the experience to be better and better and better.

“For me it is always a huge opportunity to challenge ourselves and the players.”

The Argentine manager expects a tough match against Javier Aguirre’s side, complimenting the Mexican coach on his competitive edge before warning the American players to expect a tough night.

“Of course it will be difficult. Mexico is a beautiful team with a great and very good coach, but a very good team and a very good coach, a very good person,” Pochettino said. “And of course it will be tough, but we will enjoy it.

“There are not many coaches who compete like him, the capacity, the emotional intelligence and the intelligence of managing the group and after the match for me he is one of the best, for me he is a great gentleman, he is a man with a lot of experience.

“I repeat it again without wanting, not wanting. Maybe it seems like I don’t want to analyze Mexico,” he said, “but I think that if we can compete in the Nations Cup and Concacaf next month, I think the approach is ‘how are we going to compete tomorrow?'”

After the friendly against Mexico, the United States will prepare for an even more determined opponent in the quarter-finals of the Concacaf Nations League.