Lucas Alario of Bayer Leverkusen says he wants to be in Argentina team

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Lucas Alario has stated that he wants to be included in the Argentina team.

Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni included the Leverkusen striker in the squad near the end of last year. Alario has scored 10 goals with two assists in 28 matches this season. The Argentina team play both Ecuador and Bolivia later this month in the World Cup qualifiers. Speaking with Sportia, here’s what Alario had to say:

“I’m thinking short term, I want to be in the next Argentina list. After that, I have to keep working and doing my best with my club to be able to show that I want to be there.”

51 Comments

  1. I have spoken many times about Ocampos in the past. I have been watching him since his early days in River when he was supposed to be one of Argentina’s next big players, he didn’t live up to the expectations for a while but fortunately, still young only 25 years old, is starting to show his tremendous potential at a big club like Sevilla. Actually, at his first year in Sevilla, he has already become one of the fans’ favourites. The guy has trementous skills with the ball despite his height 1.87 cm, has great shooting technique famous about his bicycle kicks with Monaco and Marseille, powerful shot using both feet, pacey strong and very physical, a never stop running workhorse, lots of grit and a true fighter! To me is one of the most exciting players we have and one of our key players too. I am very happy that he has finally showed up because i always had faith to his potential. His only defect is his temper which has already cost him a three match suspension in the Spanish league (the same goes for Lautaro too) but he is still young to be improved on that. To me him along with Lautaro, De Paul and Dybala are the most important players after Messi’s generation.

    Regarding Alario and Icardi debate, they are both very good players but if you ask me to choose between those too i would go for Icardi. However, a player that i would also like playing for us is Avila, a very special player, has all the characteristics of a true Argentine forward but unfortunately he has been injured badly and i hope he recovers fast and play for us.

    • You and me both waveride, I’ve been singing Ocampos’s praises since his second year at Marsaille when he scored 16 goals (playing up top) that season!! The next season he was moved to midfield and while his goal no. decreased markedly (understandably), his assist no. went into the double digits.
      I remember there was so much hype about him when he came 2nd on the golden boy list and then he got lost in the shuffle but I am so glad that he’s realizing his potential.

      I feel I should also give Angel Correa a shout out, I predicted that he’d regain his starting place at the beginning of the season but I didn’t think he’d become Atletico’s most effective player. I’d definitely take him to copa and play him in his proper position or atleast his proper side (on the right) unlike Scaloni who played him again Germany and Brazil out of position on the left!

      • Correa is talented, no doubt. His issue has always been consistency and final decision making. Let’s hope his form continues as he could be incredibly useful for the NT, especially that he’s attacker that defends and has a TON of big game experience.

        • Honestly IMO his issue has been that he is a 2nd striker playing as a RCM! I mean talk about being out of place, but it seems that he’s learned to get the most out of his….shall we say DISposition!

  2. LW-Pedro de la Vega
    ST- Lautero Martinez
    RW-Benjamin garre
    CM -Exequiel palacios
    CDM- Nicolás Dominguez
    CM-Lo Celso
    Lb-Lisandro Martínez
    CB-Cristian Romero
    CB-Leonardo Balerdi
    Rb-Juan Foyth
    GK- Juan Musso

  3. LUCAS OCAMPOS WINS A PENALTY AND SCORES AGAINST ATLETICO!!!
    he has now scored in four consecutive matches playing in the left wing! this is really important for argentina

    • true its really sad that palacios is getting down the pecking order. this season argentineans in europe are struggling to help their clubs win in competitions even though individually some are doing really well winning games is all that matters

    • They’ve been shining for a while now, without and WITH argentines.
      Palacios started 2 out the 3 league games when he was available so lets not relegate him to the bench already, you all need to show abit of patience with players, especially you csabalala, remember how you called Lautaro a “perspective benchwarmer” even though he was starting for Inter? Or how you said Correa is a bench warmer for Atletico even though I told you he will cement his place? Or how Celso will regain his starting place when you gave up on him (as usual)?

      As for Paulinho, this is his first start and he plays a different position from Alario

  4. Many fans here argue about the choice should be made between Icardi and Alario. I think it should be more between Alario and Aguero. Icardi and Dybala are the superb sub who can score with few opportunities. Icardi by his sense of position like Trezeguet in the past and Dybala with his free kick. Aguero is the world class, should be our best striker, no doubt about his talents but he is becoming much more fragile with age, quite frequently injured. I don’t know if in 2y he’ll still be fit. Alario is not young, he doesn’t have Aguero’s talents but he is very versatile, solid technically and can play in multiple positions. I don’t remember any great game of Messi and of Aguero when both of them were on the pitch at the same time. Don’t believe that may change after all these years and I don’t remember any champion with 2 strikers > 32yo in the 11. I would give his chance to Alario.

    • Alario is a classic static number 9 too, Leverkusen rather play with brazilian youngster Paulinho and Havertz duo uprfront in this important match, against Leipzig and Union Berlin he showed nothing, static, very slow without the ball too (Icardi only with the ball, but without it Mauro can run fast into the spaces), limited in passing…Icardi with the same charatheristic but with much better speed and killer instinct, big game charachter…this would be a no brainer decision if icardi wasnt an asshole.

      • That’s what I tried to say on Icardi, he’s our Trezeguet. We need a striker who can score in 5 minutes when he steps in. We need Icardi in the 23. I don’t agree totally with you on Alario. He has solid technical skill, can keep the ball and make the difference. As I said, he is not young and doesn’t have Aguero’s talent but he could be the temp solution until you find a better option. So far at the national team, he never disappointed.

    • If the debate is between Alario and Aguero, then there is no debate to begin with :). i do agree with your point that Aguero might not make it to 22 so Alario should be playing for the qualifiers. Hell, all of them should be playing as it’s a long process!

      In terms of Messi-Aguero, some good examples are:
      1) Messi freekick to Aguero and he scored against Uruguay. The play was 100% practiced and it worked beautifully.
      2) During batshit WC France game against all odds, Messi’s connection with Aguero almost had us through.
      a) First was Messi cross to Aguero for goal which kept us alive
      b) In the dying minutes under an insane amount of pressure, Messi passed to Aguero who crossed to Di Maria who missed. That bit of futbol was amazing…so close to scoring in the dying minutes all due Messi – aguero connection.

      Besides, i haven’t seen any great games with Martinez & Messi but i wouldn’t hold that against Martinez.
      Also, our best games in recent times were with Aguero and Messi leading the attack so that counts for something.

  5. in brazil’s 23 man squad its a mix between the european players and their local league players .
    argentina should also similarly look into the local league talents for the right back and defensive midfielder position.( but that dosnt mean they should select oldies like enzo perez,buffarini.,etc )
    even for the left wing we could look into the local league for backups (definitely thiago almada)

    • No I think the problem of right fullback will be fixed soon by using a CB in that position, just like France and Germany, and you put a winger on the right side in front of the guy. Scaloni tried that with Foyth but unfortunately the guy lost completely his football with Tottenham.

      For the DM, as long as Scaloni believes that Paredes should be in the 11, it can’t be fixed. People said Paredes was the best DM of Copa 2019 but the truth is De Paul was exceptional and helped me so much on the defensive tasks. To me, the best player in this position is Lisandro Martinez. He is a better DM than CB.

  6. Alario’s place is cemented.If we have Alario,Aguero,Otamendi,Pezella on the pitch same time then we have four player who are good header.They all can be used against teams which always parks the bus

        • Absolute false, Icardi is the best argentine header since Crespo (Martin Palermo was the best but he hardly played for us), Alario not bad but rather tall than legendary header.

      • Alario is morecreative than Icardi.Alario provide better support to teammates so Alario over Icardi

    • No room for alario on 23 man roster with Messi, Aguero, Lautaro and Dybala but maybe the 28-30 man preliminary roster. It will be between him and Icardi, where Mauro is the better player by far but we all know his personal relationship/conduct will be the deciding factor to keep Icardi off the team.

    • Icardi is not better header than alario, icardi is an tap in king inside the box,, this is why he is called predator, we literally very few see icardi dribble in passed defence and create his changes, he need supply,, which sometimes has advantage sometimes has disadvantage, on the other hand alario is team player, very good in head,, icardi had 8 match nt with 1 goal,, alario 6 match 3…

  7. Why worry, Scaloni also wanted Alario to join in; just keep the show on at Bundesliga and your place is guarantee. A good chance for Icardi to join the Olympic team

  8. martinez quarta’s agent has confirmed to a radio that quarta will look to leave river in june for a european club.( i hope it will be inter milan or ajax)

  9. SUPERLIGA ARGENTINA FINAL MATCHDAY ROUND STARTED:
    arsenal won 4-0 to aldosivi which places them in 9th place which is the final spot for copa sudamericana qualification temporarily 1 point above defensa y justicia and san lorenzo.

    fausto vera scored and won the game for argentinos juniors against rosario central 2-1 which places them in 3rd place in the league, 3 points above velez,lanus and racing temporarily.

  10. Its going to be between him and Icardi.
    Messi, Aguero, Lautaro and Dybala are already in I suppose. I would go for Icardi as he deserves to play atleast one big tournament for Argentina!!

      • If we would drop every player who were benchwarmer in PSG only 4-5 argentine players remain (Messi, Aguero, Di Maria, Dybala, maybe Lautaro). Zero midfielder Lo Celso was benchwarmer, Paredes is ,Palacios even in Leverkusen…and every argentine winger defender and goalkeeper for sure. Not to mention Alario was Kevin Volland sub, but the german injured, so now he starts. Freakin Kevin Volland not Mbappe, Cavani, Neymar…

        • what do you mean benchwarmer only paredes and foyth are the players in the current squad warming the bench.
          agreed alario is actually second in the order to volland but have you seen volland play he is really good but alario is also an important player in peter bosz plans for bayer leverkusen. he has an amazing rotation policy and makes sure alario gets chances as often possible and now tnks to volland injury alario can make the most of this regular play time.
          palacios has just joined but he slowly integrated into the team give him time he will adapt and surely become a regular
          in goalkeeper position we have marchesin,rulli and benitez regularly starting for their clubs in europe
          pezzella is a regular,otamendi due to his 30+ age n due to his rash decision making it makes pep to consider him as backup but fortunately he has gained regular play time due to injuries.
          tagliafico and acuna are starters
          lo celso initialy wasnt in jose’s plan but he has forced himself into the starting eleven with consistent MOM displays and i believe even in a fully fit spurs xi surely lo celso will start.
          rodrigo de paul is a starter
          ocampos is a starter
          what do you mean maybe lautaro he is a freaking star of inter milan.
          first try watching argentina players instead of brazil

          • They would be benchwarmers in PSG!!!…not in their current mediocre clubs against average footballers, in PSG!!! …and even with full of superstars Icardi has more than fair playing time…who doesnt know these players have regular status now? But they would warm the bench all year long in PSG….so first try to understand the competition levels in football then start to talk.

    • I do agree about Icardi. CanadienRoyal made a similar comment about Icardi sayings he’s capable of scoring in few touches. For years now, Icardi has been one the worlds most efficient strikers. He’s like a poster child for “predator in the box”. I’ve always dreamed of having Icardi in the box with guys like Messi, Dybala, and Lo Celso crossing to him.

      I would bring him in 23, start 2 of Aguero, Martinez, Dybala and bring in Icardi as an impact sub.

    • I would love to see Icardi play in the Olympics along with Di Maria. He is a truly great striker.
      However, when it comes to the regular senior team, Icardi should stay faaaar away and keep his pathetic wife even further away.
      We don’t need the controversial drama and personal issues that those two hotheads bring to the locker room. It has been difficult for inter to get rid of him because of this. Right now, we are in the middle of rebuilding a Team for Copa and WQ and we want to keep everyone happy. He is simply not a good fit atm. Rather take Alario or Chimy Avila (when fit).
      Also remember that many Argentine players feel strongly about the Maxi Lopez situation. Icardi and Wanda’s toxicity would ruin the NT.

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