Shortly after the Argentina vs. Paraguay game, for the third day of the 2026 qualification, the coach Lionel Scaloni spoke about Lionel Messi’s physical condition and caused some concern among fans. As is well known, the Inter Miami attacker has been suffering from an injury for several weeks and his appearance against Albirroja (October 12) and Bicolor would not be guaranteed.
The reigning world champion’s strategist did not rule out the possibility that the Rosario player could be left out of the duel with Juan Reynoso’s team. “The decision (about starting Lionel Messi against Paraguay) is first of all about seeing how he feels. Secondly, we have another game in 4 days. He can play 80 minutes and nothing against Peru. Or he plays 90 minutes in both games and is fine,” he said at a press conference.
Likewise, the coach explained that they will wait until the end to see the lineup of the team that will lead against Albirrroja. “There is still one training session left and for Messi it is important to have one more training session. We have to make sure he is comfortable being in the starting XI. “The team is changing on this basis” he added.
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What injury does Lionel Messi have?
Lionel Messi has been suffering from muscle fatigue for several weeks. Although not a complicated squad, this discomfort prevented him from playing Inter Miami’s recent games and he only played 35 minutes in his most recent MLS appearance.
Lionel Messi joined the MLS club in mid-July. Photo: Inter Miami CF.
When does Argentina play Peru?
After the game against Paraguay, the Argentine team will next face Peru Tuesday, October 17th, for the fourth day of qualifying. This match will be played at the National Stadium and will start at 9:00 p.m. (Peruvian time) and 11:00 p.m. (Argentine time).