Synopsis
Lionel Messi has been rested from Argentina's upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Brazil and Uruguay due to discomfort. This decision follows his previous absence from league matches and the announcement of the national squad by head coach Lionel Scaloni.Key Takeaways
- Lionel Messi is rested due to discomfort.
- Argentina's national squad is led by Lionel Scaloni.
- Argentina is currently at the top of the qualifying table.
- Upcoming matches against Uruguay and Brazil are crucial.
- Argentina needs seven points for automatic World Cup qualification.
New Delhi, March 17 (NationPress) Lionel Messi has been omitted from Argentina's squad ahead of their two crucial FIFA World Cup qualifier matches, as confirmed by head coach Lionel Scaloni during the announcement of the 26-man roster on Monday. In addition to Messi, Paulo Dybala is also absent for the third consecutive time due to injury.
Messi was unavailable for his previous three league matches with Inter Miami, citing fatigue, but returned for the 2-1 victory over Atlanta United on Monday (IST). Javier Mascherano, the coach of his club, clarified that Messi is not injured but has been resting as a precaution, although he is currently experiencing some discomfort.
Argentina has accumulated the highest points after each match day thus far, with goal difference being the sole factor preventing them from leading the table since the start of the qualifiers. Nonetheless, Lionel Scaloni's team has reached the top after the third round of fixtures and has maintained that position ever since.
Following their triumph in the Copa America, Argentina faced two of their three defeats in this qualification campaign (against Colombia and Paraguay) while Messi was sidelined with injury, and they also dropped points in a draw with Venezuela, all of which occurred away from home.
This setback has not significantly impacted their progress, as they remain five points ahead of second-placed Uruguay, with only three points separating the teams from second to sixth in the standings.
Considering that seventh-placed Bolivia can only attain a maximum of 31 points, Argentina needs to secure just seven points from the available 18 to ensure automatic qualification for the FIFA World Cup 26. The challenge lies in their upcoming matches against Uruguay (March 21) and Brazil (March 25), both formidable South American opponents.
Argentina squad:
Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Geronimo Rulli (Marseille Olympique), Walter Benítez (PSV Eindhoven), Nahuel Molina (Atletico de Madrid), Juan Foyth (Villarreal), Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur), German Pezzella (River Plate), Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille Olympique), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica), Facundo Medina (Racing Club de Lens), Nicolas Tagliafico (Olympique de Lyon), Leandro Paredes (AS Roma), Enzo Fernández (Chelsea), Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico de Madrid), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Máximo Perrone (Like 1907), Giuliano Simeone (Atlético de Madrid), Benjamin Domínguez (Bologna FC), Thiago Almada (Olympique de Lyon), Nicolas Gonzalez (Juventus), Angel Correa (Atletico de Madrid), Nicolas Paz (Like 1907), Julian Alvarez (Atlético de Madrid), Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan), Santiago Castro (Bologna FC).
