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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Colombia head coach Nestor Lorenzo criticized CONMEBOL's decision to extend the 2024 Copa América final halftime from a traditional 15 minutes to 25 minutes in order to accommodate a performance from Colombian pop star Shakira.
"I hope you enjoy, Shakira is great," he said in his news conference ahead of Sunday's final with Argentina at Hard Rock Stadium. "For a final, when the rules change for both teams, bad pitches for both or same weather for both, then I can't say if its bad or if it favors one side.
"I can't understand it, I wish it were like the rest. When we came out in the 16th minute we were sanctioned, but now that there is a show we can come out in the 20th-minute mark. Players can get cold, but it's on both sides. I found out today that this is how it is, and that's it."
The coach referenced incidents in the group stage that saw managers Lionel Scaloni (Argentina), Ricardo Gareca (Chile), Marcelo Bielsa (Uruguay) and Fernando Batista (Venezuela) suspended for one match after each team arrived late to the field of play. The country's football federations were additionally fined $15,000 each.
As well as the change in halftime, CONMEBOL also chose to reintroduce extra time to the final. During the quarterfinal and semifinal stages, a regular-time tie resulted in an automatic penalty shootout, but the final will see an additional 30 minutes played before reaching penalties.
Regardless of the newly implemented rules, Lorenzo insists Colombia is ready to compete and see James Rodríguez thrive against the reigning Copa América champions.
"He's done a great Copa América, we are lucky that he is good and taken leadership of the team," he said. "And that the team has supported him and taken him to this game, where we want to be. He's been one of the best, I don't know if the best but one of. And I hope tomorrow he gives off a good performance."
Rodríguez enters the final with one goal and six assists, surpassing Lionel Messi's record (5 in 2021) for the most goal assists in one edition of the competition since records began in 2011. "We know the left foot that James has, we know it's one of the best," Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano 'Dibu' Martínez said of the Colombian figure.
While Argentina is looking to win a third straight major tournament, having also won the World Cup in 2022, Colombia is seeking to lift just its second Copa América crown and first since 2001.
