It looks like both Brazil and Chile are taking their preparations for their 2014 World Cup round of 16 clash seriously, as the Chilean team reportedly stopped a practice on Thursday because a Brazilian TV helicopter was hovering over the pitch.
According to the Independent, the helicopter belonged to TV station Globo, and the Chileans were having none of it. A press official was quoted, saying:
"Chile training was stopped today a few minutes after it started because of a helicopter flying above the pitch. Training resumed after it had left."
Hosts Brazil have knocked Chile out of the World Cup on three separate occasions in the past, and in order to avoid a similar fate this time around, La Roja are not taking any chances.
Some fans were humoured by the news:
Brazil has to be extremely desperate to send a helicopter to spy Chile's practice sessions.. #Brazil2014 #WorldCup
— María J. Concha (@MJConcha) June 26, 2014
Chile and Brazil have been two of the standout teams so far during the tournament, both qualifying for the knockout stages with relative ease. With no real injury concerns and both teams preferring to attack their opponents, the match has all the makings of an instant classic.
With little separating the teams in terms of pure talent, tactics could be a key factor in this match, and as reported by Reuters (via Yahoo News), Mauricio Isla explained that was exactly what the team was working on when they spotted the helicopter:
"The one who was worried about the helicopter most was our coach because he was working on tactics at that moment and he did not want our opponents to know our strategies."
It's highly unlikely the helicopter had anything to do with the Brazilian federation or the team in any way, but Jorge Sampaoli wasn't going to give his tactics up to Brazilian TV just like that.
Chile and Brazil will meet on Saturday, and this situation will only add fuel to a match that was already promising to be a dramatic one.
Source: Bleacher Report
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