Brazil-Colombia friendly to raise funds for plane crash victims

A friendly football match between Brazil and Colombia meant to raise funds for victims of families affected by the Chapecoense plane crash will be played at Rio's Olympic stadium on January 25, the Brazilian football federation has said.

The fixture will feature only South America based players as it does not coincide with an official FIFA date, the CBF said in a statement on Monday, reports Xinhua.

"It's a match which is being organised for a special reason and I hope that we can help those families that have suffered from great loss," Brazil's football coordinator coach Edu Gaspar said.

Brazil team head coach Tite said: "It's a game that has special significance but we are also going to use it to look more closely at some players that haven't had opportunities." He added, "It's going to be a good chance to address some doubts."

Seventy-one people died, including 19 Chapecoense club footbalers and all of their coaching staff, when the LaMia plane in which they were traveling crashed near Medellin, Colombia, on November 28.

The tragedy occurred less than two days before Chapecoense were due to play Colombia's Atletico Nacional in the first leg of the two-match Copa Sudamericana final.

Chapecoense were earlier this month awarded the title at the request of Atletico Nacional.

Tickets for the match will go on sale on January 9.

--IANS

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