Bielsa no superhero despite Chile's run
Chile coach Marcelo Bielsa insists he's no superhero for making his team feel good about its World Cup chances.
Chile won its first two games in South Africa and leads Group H with six points ahead of Friday's match against Spain, which needs a victory to ensure it reaches the round of 16.
"This superhero tag is not right," Bielsa said on Thursday from Pretoria.
"I've been involved, collaborated and integrated in a football project that has reached the World Cup and is now trying to get to the second round."
Nicknamed "The Madman," Bielsa led Chile to second in South American qualifying - behind only Brazil.
And, after back-to-back 1-0 victories over Honduras and Switzerland, Chile is poised to get past the second round for the first time since 1962, when it hosted the World Cup.
It must first deal with Spain -an opponent it has never beaten in seven meetings. The European champions have won six of the team's previous encounters, including a 3-0 win on 2008.
Despite being outsiders for the match, Bielsa will not change his attacking approach.
"Going for a draw would be more difficult than going for a win," Bielsa said. "We're playing the same way for a long time. Everyone prefers a game with goals over one without, an open game over a defensive one."
Chile needs only needs a draw to get through, as Spain and Switzerland are on three points and Honduras is on zero.
But that's not enough for Bielsa, whose last trip to the World Cup was with Argentina when it bowed out at the group stage in 2002.
"Our intention is to better the rival, to be the protagonist - that's what we're going to do tomorrow," the Argentine coach said. "We'll try to win the ball and attack, and defend. But we'll have to defend a lot."
Bielsa's meticulous attention to detail, reclusive nature and philosophical retort has earned him the 'Madman' nickname but also has won him respect after leading Argentina to Olympic gold in 2004 and various league titles in Argentina.
"One interprets the achievements and not the results," said Bielsa, who often looks downward while answering questions, never making eye contact.
"He who wins, wins, and he who loses, loses."
Bielsa hinted he could play up to three strikers in Friday's game despite missing Matias Fernandez to suspension and with striker Humberto Suazo not yet 100 per cent match fit.
Both teams expect a "spectacle" with the group on the line and the loser facing a potential match with Brazil.
"All of their players have the character of their coach, so you won't notice the missing players, which is magnificent," Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said.
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