Lionel Scaloni, coach of the Argentina national team, spoke at a press conference prior to what will be tonight’s friendly match against the Ecuador team, a duel that will take place at the Soldier Field facilities in the city of Chicago, a duel that will be preparatory to the upcoming Copa América and where Argentina will share Group A with Canada, Peru, and Chile.
Without Messi or limited?
Scaloni set off alarm bells for all of Argentina and Lionel Messi fans by not confirming his ownership in the match, although he assured that the current Inter Miami player will have action in several minutes: “I imagine that Leo will play, I don’t know how many minutes, but “People will see it, which is the most important thing.” In this sense, he pointed out that he has not yet defined the starting 11 of the game: “I still do not have the team 100%. Especially because I have to evaluate the changes, we have asked to be able to make more than six changes and, in the end, it will not be like that. We must evaluate the six changes we have to make. Based on that, we will define the team.”
Regarding the preparation of the lineup for the match against Ecuador, Lionel Scaloni explained: “In recent times, this team has had changes and has maintained the level. We are not worried about that, we will try not to risk the kids who come with any problems. We are not going to risk them at all, it is evident. Some are not even going to have minutes and are not even going to go to the bench because we believe that it is better that they continue training and continue putting loads on their legs.”
On the other hand, Scaloni took the floor and spoke about the return of Germán Pezzella and Guido Rodríguez, who trained differently in the last training sessions of the albiceleste team: “German was not able to train this week. We already knew it. We hope that next week he can train with the group to evaluate him and see how he is. In principle, he would start training on Monday. We need you to train to see it. In principle, Guido can start tomorrow. Based on that, we will decide.”
The replacement generation for Argentina
Later, he had words about Argentina’s replacement generation and emphasized two players who will be key for the team in the future, especially after the Copa América: “Both Alejandro Garnacho and Valentín Carboni are two boys who excite us a lot. lot. We have a lot of desire for their future. We cannot burden them with so many expectations right now, but in the future, they will give us a lot. The important thing is that in training they know what we want. We talk to them and they understand the pace at which the game is played. There are times when a break is good and they understand it.”
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Scaloni pointed out in ‘Bichito’, as Garnacho is known, a Manchester United player in the Premier League, who has already played five games with this shirt: “He hasn’t had much time with us and it is true that in the minutes he has not been able to express what he really knows. But it is a bit of a possibility that we have to give him minutes and games, for him to associate with his teammates, for him to know the rhythm.”
At a press conference, he explained that the formation of the list of 29 footballers had no relation to the competitions played by the men who participate in the matches on the playing field: “We do not look at the league in which they play. We look at the level he has especially if the team needs him in that position. We don’t care where he plays, the important thing is that he can play for the National Team. There are many very good players who could give us a hand, but as long as the players we have do not give me reasons, it is very difficult to change now.”
