England vs Mexico delay concerns have been replaced by a far sterner problem: England face Mexico in the World Cup last 16 at the Azteca Stadium at Monday 01:00 BST. Thomas Tuchel said the setting felt immediate and hostile after England arrived in Mexico on Friday evening, with the game set for Sunday night in a stadium that sits 7,220ft above sea level.
Tuchel's Azteca Stadium warning
Tuchel did not dress up the challenge. He said, "We saw the excitement and the emotions of the people when we arrived. They were emotional but also very, very respectful." He added, "We felt the energy of the place right away, the people on the streets. You can feel the excitement. This is a next-level setting."
He also called it "a proper World Cup game" and said, "We are in an iconic place and an iconic stadium. It is just the biggest stage and we feel it." For England, the response starts with handling the pace of the occasion before the football settles into a knockout contest.
Mexico City pressure builds
The conditions are not limited to the pitch. Tuchel said, "Mexico will give us a taste of the intensity, the heat and we must find solutions to that." He also said, "It will be emotional and full of support for the home team," and added that the stadium can "create an atmosphere to the advantage of the home team and create momentum and belief, but we have very experienced players."
Home fans descended on England's hotel after arrival, and there has been a huge security presence around it. On Saturday, thunder and lightning rattled around the stadium, while merchandise and souvenir sellers lined the streets at the Azteca. England had hoped to keep their location secret before the match, but the build-up has already been exposed to the city around them.
England's Azteca memory
The historical load is heavier still. England's last visit to the Azteca was the 1986 World Cup quarter-final against Argentina, when Diego Maradona scored the Hand Of God goal and Argentina won 2-1. Mexico have not conceded a goal in the World Cup, and they have lost only two competitive games out of 88 at their spiritual home.
That is the backdrop for a last-16 tie that will either push England into the World Cup quarter-finals or end their tournament at a venue built to test visiting teams. How England plan to cope with the altitude and heat at the Azteca Stadium is not explained, which leaves the match to decide whether Tuchel's side can handle a setting that has already made itself felt.
