Tite: We asked for Copa America not to be held in Brazil

Defending champions Brazil will host coronavirus-hit Venezuela in the opening game of the Copa America on Sunday (June 13) following initial concerns the Selecao would boycott the event.
Postponed from 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Copa America had been due to be shared between Colombia and Argentina, though both countries were removed as co-hosts following respective political and coronavirus issues.
Brazil was awarded hosting rights, despite being one of the countries worst hit by the COVID-19 crisis.
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Captain Casemiro and the squad have already criticised CONMEBOL’s decision to move the tournament to Brazil and those views have been amplified following news that 12 of Venezuela’s travelling party tested positive for coronavirus.
With COVID-19 again casting a shadow over the Copa, Tite told reporters on the eve of the curtain-raiser: “I would like these problems not occurring, not only for Venezuela. The organisation is wrong and this is not political, but it is a direct criticism to CONMEBOL and whoever has defined this in the CBF [Brazilian Football Confederation] that the Copa America will be here, I did not ask for this.


