Four suspended players return to Mexico side

Four suspended players return to Mexico side

Published Jan. 19, 2012 7:16 p.m. ET

Four players suspended for violating training rules are returning to Mexico's national team for an international friendly match against Venezuela in Houston on Jan. 25.

Coach Jose Manuel De la Torre said on Thursday the four returning players were defender Israel Jimenez, forward Marco De la Mora, and midfielders Javier Cortes and Nestor Calderon.

The four - and four others - were handed six-month suspensions in June after they were reported having female guests in their rooms during a training camp in Ecuador.

All the players called up play for Mexican clubs. Europe-based players will not participate in the match.

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''We have spoken about the topic of discipline with the players,'' De la Torre said. ''They have to know what it means to represent your country.''

De la Torre acknowledged several of the returning players had not been playing well.

''We are looking to give them some confidence by returning them to the team,'' he added.

A similar incident took place in September 2010 when two players - Carlos Vela and Efrain Juarez - were suspended for six months following a party after an international friendly against Colombia in Monterrey, Mexico. Eleven other players were fined.

The incident involved a late-night party with unidentified women.

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Squad:

Goalkeepers: Jesus Corona (Cruz Azul), Alfedo Talavera (Toluca)

Defenders: Israel Jimenez (Tigres), Hugo Ayala (Tigres), Edgar Duenas (Toluca), Hiram Mier (Monterrey), Nestor Araujo (Cruz Azul), Carlos Salcido (Tigres), Jorge Torres Nilo (Tigres)

Midfielders: Irrael Castro (Cruz Azul) Jesus Zavala (Monterrey), Jesus Molina (America), Javier Cortes (Pumas), Javier Aquino (Cruz Azul), Efrain Velarde (Pumas), Nestor Calderon (Toluca)

Forwards: Edgar Andrade (Jaguares), Marco De la Mora (Chivas), Oribe Peralta (Santos), Rafael Marquez Lugo (Morelia)

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