Argentina hosts Paraguay for the third time Qualifiers; However, Lionel Messi’s presence is not guaranteed from the start. La Pulga, who trained with his teammates, was unable to start the game against Albirroja. This is to prevent the muscle problems from which he suffered a few weeks ago and which ruled him out of several Inter Miami games from recurring.
The team’s coach, Lionel Scaloni, pointed out that he could play for 80 minutes or not risk it at all. “We still have training and one more thing is important for him. We saw him well and I will talk to him beforehand to decide whether he will play as a starter or not. The team can change on this basis, but I have to talk to him about it and, above all, that he is doing well, that we are convinced that he can play from the start. The first decision is to see how he feels. Secondly, we have another game in four days. He can play 80 minutes and nothing against Peru, or he can play both 90 minutes and be fine. It’s not that easy. If it’s available, you know what I think. As for the protocol, it is important. “What reassures us is that if he is not able to leave, the one who comes out will do just as well, that is the most important thing,” assured the world champion strategist of the Albiceleste.
At the moment the team would look like this: Emiliano Martínez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Nicolás Otamendi, Nicolás Tagliafico or Marcos Acuña; Rodrigo de Paul, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister; Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martínez or Julián Álvarez and Nicolás González.
YOU CAN SEE: Will Messi play against Peru? Scaloni’s worrying sentence about the “10” of the Argentine team
Looking ahead to the 2030 World Cup, the 45-year-old coach said: “It’s a joy for everyone Argentina “If he can play a World Cup game in his country, it will be a great joy for everyone.”
Did you know…
Historical. Dibu Martínez could break a historic record for the Argentine team against Paraguay. The man from Mar del Plata has not conceded a goal in 532 minutes (the last was Kylian Mbappé’s 3-3 draw in the Qatar 2022 final).