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Bielsa confirms Chile squad

Image: Vales: Surprise inclusion

Atalanta's Jaime Valdes was a surprise inclusion in Chile's 30-man provisional World Cup squad.

Argentine coach names preliminary World Cup 30

Atalanta midfielder Jaime Valdes was a surprise inclusion in Chile's 30-man provisional World Cup squad announced by Marcelo Bielsa. Valdes has played in Italy for a decade but has never featured under Argentinian head coach Bielsa, who has been at the helm since 2007. Luis Marin and Charles Aranguiz were also surprise inclusions. Union Espanola's Marin won the battle for the third goalkeeping spot over Universidad Catolica's Cristopher Toselli. Flamengo midfielder Claudio Maldonado was left out having come back in March from a knee injury he suffered playing for Chile against Slovakia in November. Universidad de Chile midfielder Marco Estrada was included despite not playing much for his club side having not fully recovered from a leg injury. Estrada's club colleague Hans Martinez and Osvaldo Gonzalez, who reached the Mexican Bicentenario semi-finals with Toluca, also both miss out. Bielsa, whose team meet Mexico in a friendly in Mexico City on Sunday, must trim his squad to 23 by 1st June for the finals starting on 11th June in South Africa where Chile face favourites Spain, Switzerland and Honduras in Group H. Chile's preliminary World Cup squad: Goalkeepers: Claudio Bravo (Real Sociedad), Miguel Pinto (Universidad de Chile), Luis Marin (Union Espanola) Defenders: Waldo Ponce (Universidad Catolica), Gonzalo Jara (West Bromwich Albion), Gary Medel (Boca Juniors), Mauricio Isla (Udinese), Pablo Contreras (PAOK Salonika), Ismael Fuentes (Universidad Catolica) Midfielders: Marco Estrada, Manuel Iturra (both Universidad de Chile), Roberto Cereceda, Rodrigo Millar, Jose Fuenzalida (all Colo Colo), Arturo Vidal (Bayer Leverkusen), Carlos Carmona (Reggina), Jorge Valdivia (Al Ain), Matias Fernandez (Sporting Lisbon), Jean Beausejour (Club America), Pedro Morales (Dinamo Zagreb), Gonzalo Fierro (Flamengo), Charles Aranguiz (Colo Colo), Jaime Valdes (Atalanta), Rodrigo Tello (Besiktas) Forwards: Humberto Suazo (Real Zaragoza), Esteban Paredes (Colo Colo), Hector Mancilla (Toluca), Alexis Sanchez (Udinese), Fabian Orellana (Xerez), Mark Gonzalez (CSKA Moscow)