Cristian ANSALDI in, Mauro ICARDI and Marcos ACUNA out

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Cristian ANSALDI has been called-up to the Argentina National Team.

The injury bug continues to plague the Argentina National Team with two more players being added onto the injury list. With Enzo PEREZ a doubt and Lucas BIGLIA out, Inter’s captain Mauro ICARDI and Sporting Lisbon’s Marcos ACUNA are the two latest players pulling out of the team.

The beneficiary to this is Cristian ANSALDI of Torino (on loan from Inter). The 31 year old defender is the second left back to be called-up due to injury after Emiliano INSUA of Stuttgart made the team following BIGLIA’s removal.

ANSALDI should still be familiar with Russia having played in the Russian Premier League for both Rubin Kazan and Zenit Saint Petersburg. Cristian played for Rubin from 2008 until 2013 and was signed to Zenit Saint Petersburg for 2013 until 2016, although he was on loan to a few teams during his stint at Zenit.

Cristian ANSALDI and the Argentina team

The Torino man has 5 caps to his name for Argentina with the latest coming in a 2-1 loss in 2014 against Portugal.

Here’s the full Argentina squad:

Argentina Goalkeepers:

Sergio ROMERO
Nahuel GUZMAN
Agustin MARCHESIN

Argentina Defenders:

Javier MASCHERANO
Federico FAZIO
Nicolas OTAMENDI
German PEZZELLA
Emiliano INSUA
Cristian ANSALDI

Argentina Midfielders:

Eduardo SALVIO
Ever BANEGA
Leandro PAREDES
Emiliano RIGONI
Matias KRANEVITTER
Aleandro GOMEZ
Diego PEROTTI
Enzo PEREZ
Fernando BELLUSCHI
Giovani LO CELSO

Argentina Forwards:

Lionel MESSI
Sergio AGUERO
Angel DI MARIA
Paulo DYBALA
Cristian PAVON
Dario BENEDETTO

21 Comments

    • I guess we have learned in the hard way that just names don’t mean much, unless they can gel well as a team. These guys should have been selected earlier & should have got a chance to play together with the rest of the folks to build a chemistry. A lot of teams like Brazil & Germany already have that. We are running against time to build a formidable unit that can go far in the WC. In Sampaoli, we have a proper coach for the first time after Sabella & let’s hope for the best!

    • Lautaro Martinez will also be good. He could be the Gotze of 2014 WC. A youngster forward who has no pressure and no such “high expectation”. He can become a useful sub.

  1. Vs Nigeria

    Romero
    Mammana macherano pezzella
    Paredes kranevitter ansaldi
    Pavon dybala dimaria
    Benedetto
    Subs:fazio/macherano 45
    Insua/ansaldi 45
    Banega/paredes 70
    Lo celso/dybala 45
    Rigoni/pavon 70
    Perrotti/dimaria 70
    Aguero/benedetto 70

  2. I love this guy. For some reason, mainly because of strange career choicess, he is not the starting LB for us.

    He had everything to be successful for us. But just when, in a club, he had a good season, he decided to move to another one in which he was benched.

    Let’s hope he has a few good training session and a great match against Russia.

    • He is, the list above still has him though. Also, Otamendi has been playing with an injured hand/wrist for ManCity lately so not sure if he is going to play in Russia friendlies.

      • Thats why Gomez didn’t know what to do on that match. To stay back or to be a midfielder.

        In todays game, fullbacks acts like a auxiliary midfielders in possession in most system. Whereas, wingbacks are auxiliary wingers in possession. Chelsea’s 3-4-3 has two wingbacks which is the perfect xmple of how they play.

        If they played a RB and a LB in the wingback position, that 3-4-3 would become a 5-2-3 in possession. It depends on who you are playing at that position.

        If we play Mercado and Ansaldi as wingbacks, along with 3 CBs, it will become a 5 men defense. Just like when Acuna was played as a LB it didn’t really become a 4 men defense.

      • Generally speaking yes, but sometimes in modern football the lines between fullback/wingbacks are a bit blurred. I guess it depends on a particular player. I remember how in Sampaoli’s first game in charge Di Maria (an attacker) was a left wing-back and Jose Luis Gomez (a defender) was on the right. Was that a four man defence? Or a back three?

  3. He is comfortable in both wings & at ease at both feet, Thats the biggest advantage, Dont know what puzzle Sampa trying, Insua, Ansaldi, These are long forgotten players, Its great to have coach like this who is open minded. When we try then only we will know whether something is good or not.

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