Benched Madrid-based strikers still in Mexico plans

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Madrid-based strikers Javier Hernandez and Raul Jimenez will be a part of the Mexico squad this month despite seeing little league action, coach Miguel Herrera said on Wednesday.

Mexico face Ecuador on March 28 and Paraguay three days later in warm-up friendlies in the United States for the Copa America and CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Real Madrid’s “Chicharito” Hernandez and Atletico forward Jimenez have been largely confined to the bench in La Liga this season.

“I hope Raul and Chicharito get more minutes... If they keep their level they’ll remain in our heads and if they don’t play as we expect we won’t stop keeping them in mind,” Herrera told reporters.

“We’re going to call the ‘Europeans’ apart from (Carlos) Vela, who has not yet recovered from his injury.

“He’s just days away from a return...trotting, doing physical work, he only has to start working with the ball.”

Real Sociedad’s Vela had surgery on a cartilage in his right knee which he tore playing against Real Madrid in January.

Mexico will play as a guest team at the Copa America in Chile from June 11 to July 4, then take part in the Gold Cup in the United States from July 7-26.

(Reporting by Carlos Calvo; Writing by Rex Gowar in Buenos Aires, editing by Ed Osmond)