Uruguay coach Diego Forlan urged his side not to be complacent against India, insisting the host deserves respect despite the gulf in standard between the two sides.

“We know it’s going to be really difficult, but we always respect everybody,” Forlan said on Monday, the eve of the international friendly.

Uruguay comes into the game after a 1-3 defeat to Japan and a 4-1 win over South Korea, with Forlan stressing that his team has had more time to recover and prepare since the first loss. 

“We have more days to work, more days to rest a little bit,” he said.

The former Uruguay star, who played an ISL season with Mumbai City FC in 2016, was particularly impressed by what he saw from India against Brazil. “If you give them time and space, they can damage you and they can play well,” Forlan said.

The coach said Uruguay would carry its traditional competitive mentality into the contest. “We try to continue that legacy, something that we felt as a player,” he said.