Tite attacks La Paz and Etcheverry calls him "coward".

Brazil's coach said it is "inhuman" to play at high altitude.

Brazil's coach, Tite, warned that against eliminated Bolivia his team will not be "as vertical" as it usually is, due to the altitude of La Paz, and was encouraged to achieve a victory to break the record for most points in the South American qualifying round. He said that it is "inhuman" to play at high altitude. In response to this version, former La Verde national team player Marco Antonio Etcheverry was quick to retort: "Let the famous Tite keep quiet, he is a coward". 

"We are not going to have a team as vertical as we have had in recent games because (the altitude of 3,600 meters above sea level) does not allow it, it is inhuman," said the coach at a press conference on Monday in Teresopolis, in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Hours later, Etcheverry sent a message to the players of the national team and another to the Brazilian DT. "I hope they score four (goals) for the excuses they are making. I do not want to say other words because they will think it is discriminatory, but it seems to me that (Tite) is a coward, to be talking about the altitude when they are already qualified to the World Cup. (...) It seems very cowardly to me. It bothered me a lot, I didn't hear it before. Tité is a coward", protested the ex-footballer to Futbolmania. 

Tite

"There are other strategies, to keep possession of the ball. We hope the pitch is in good condition. We won't be able to put the same rhythm, the same speed we usually use in home games or in normal conditions", he added.

Qualified since November for the Qatar-2022 World Cup and undefeated leader with 42 points from 16 games, the 'Seleção' will break the record for most points in the South American qualifiers if they beat the Bolivians on the last day of the qualifiers, without the suspended Neymar and Vinicius Jr.

The record in the current competition format (10 teams, all against all, established for the road to France-1998) is held by Marcelo Bielsa's Argentina, who scored 43 points on the road to Korea and Japan-2002.

Brazil has another chance to break or extend that record, because it has a game against Argentina pending. That match should have been played in September in Sao Paulo, but was suspended due to alleged violations of the anti-virus protocol by the Albicelestes.

Furthermore, if the five-time champions beat Bolivia, second last with 15 points, they would displace Belgium from first place in the FIFA ranking.   

"It has meaning (breaking that record and reaching the top spot). Personally (what's important) is to see the team play very well again, to get through adversity strategically, to have their soccer represented with technical quality and possession," he said.

Without Neymar and Vinicius Jr, Tite would make seven changes compared to the starting XI that thrashed Chile 4-0 on Thursday at the Maracana. Substitute goalkeeper Weverton will also be out through injury.

The 'Canarinha', which will travel to Bolivia on Monday afternoon, will start with Alisson in goal, Dani Alves, Marquinhos, Éder Militão and Alex Telles at the back, Fabinho, Bruno Guimarães and Lucas Paquetá in the middle, and Antony, Philippe Coutinho and Richarlison up front.