Argentina U23 team land in Japan ahead of Japan friendly matches

By
Roy Nemer
-
25

The Argentina U23 national team has landed in Japan ahead of their two friendly matches vs. Japan.

A total of 11 players from the local league in Argentine along with the coaching staff made the flight over to Qatar on Sunday. The rest of the squad, who are based in Europe, joined them in the Emirates before all of them arrived in Japan.

Argentina U23 national team coach Fernando Batista called up a total of 21 players to the squad. While the likes of Adolfo Gaich, who scored on the weekend vs. Juventus has made the team, Alexis Mac Allister of Brighton was unable to join due to the current COVID travel restrictions not only in Europe but also in the United Kingdom.

Both matches during the international break will be vs. Japan. The first on Friday, March 26 and the second on March 29. Here are the players that have been called to the team:

Goalkeepers:
Jeremías Ledesma (Cádiz)
Joaquín Blázquez (Talleres);

Defenders:
Hernán de la Fuente (Vélez)
Kevin Mac Allister (Argentinos Juniors)
Nehuén Pérez (Granada)
Nazareno Colombo (Estudiantes)
Milton Valenzuela (Colombus Crew)
Alexandro Bernabéi (Lanús)
Tomás Lecanda (River)
Bruno Amione (Hellas Verona)

Midfielders:
Santiago Ascacibar (Hertha)
Santiago Colombatto (León)
Lucas González (Independiente)
Juan Brunetta (Parma)
Santiago Hezze (Huracán)

Forwards:
Fernando Valenzuela (Famalicao)
Agustín Urzi (Banfield)
Matías Vargas (Espanyol)
Adolfo Gaich (Benevento)
Enzo Cabrera (Newell’s)
Benjamín Rollheiser (River)

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25 Comments

  1. Cox, thank you for the video! I had forgotten the date of that game. Superclasicos almost never disappoint, even the 1-1 this month I heard some people consider boring, but compared to what I see with European football sometimes I believe that no superclasico is boring. Also nice to be reminded of Francescoli, might not be Argentinian but a huge legend nonetheless. Great partido

    • welcome my friend. it was one of my best superclasico that is why i remember it always.
      100 % i agree with you. you never get bored with those games. Always exist the element of the unexpected in those games. that is why never exist boring game. even when one game look like on track to be boring ALWAYS something happened and everything get mess and upside down. it is the element of the unexpected as i said.

      as about European football i don t care what they saying about us. it is matter of taste. i can find European football boring too from my side. who cares.
      the only sure is that I AM PROUD about Argentina and all the South americans that we have keep our roots and our football styles over the new century against the globalization and the new era of “modern European football”.

      i am PROUD because we choose to live like Argentines.
      we will live or we will die like Argentines.
      we will win or we will lose like Argentines.
      Our way. i prefer to lose as Argentine than win by trying be something i am not.
      European modern way.

      As about Francescoli is the only non Argentine that i ever loved as much as to have him beside my beloved Argentine legends.

  2. Julian Alvarez linked with Real Sociedad and Valencia, but I do not think we will see him go during the European summer transfer window

  4. Otamendi has been decent for Benfica recently. No mistakes, seems to be enjoying his game. Even though I take no joy but I must say that except Romero, Otamendi is still better than our current young defenders.

    Foyth has improved vastly. His tackling is exceptional. When it is leg vs leg, Foyth wins most of the time. His body strength and shielding needs to improve in order to become a top defender. I follow him at Villareal closely and no, he is not meant to be top CDM, his place is at defence.

    Romero’s yellow card proneness decreased somewhat. Very consistent performances. An actual defender.

    Quarta is doing well we all know. He is good game reader, good with interceptions and with the ball. He has good pace. But he is not a good marker, he never has been. He is more like a Coloccini type defender. Good defender but will not make your defence rock solid.

    Balerdi started and played 90 mins for last 4 games under Sampaoli. There is improvement but we have to forget about him for now.

    Senesi is slow. We have better options.

    • Good analysis Mafia guy, but no love for Licha Martinez?
      I still have to strongly disagree with you on Otamendi being better than the rest of Argentina’s young defenders. IMO Quarta, Licha Martinez, Senesi and of course Romero are all ahead of Otamendi, who needs to be weeded out of the NT by the time 2022 roles around.

      Quarta’s marking isn’t the best you’re right, he did lose the Bolovia striker (forgot his name) for their first and only goal and Tim Vickery doesn’t seem to rate him that highly but with that being said, Lucas is an incredible ball playing defender, the type that many coaches are after nowadays and honestly if he keeps performing like this Pep’s Mancity will come calling.

      C.Romero is *this close* to being world class but he still needs to watch those unnecessary yellow cards.

      Licha Martinez forced his way back into Ajax thanks to his continued hard work and the outcry of the Ajax fans and dutch media. His game doesn’t really have much weakness but he isn’t the strongest in the air and that’s the only negative thing I can say, because he’s almost as good with the ball as LMQ and his defensive prowess is up there with C.Romero’s.

      Senesi is very slow that’s true, but in a deep back 4 he’d be very useful because his defensive positioning and his reading of the game is superb, not to mention that he has a goal or 2 (some spectacular) in him and that’s always a plus seeing how Argentina’s world class forwards seem to forget how to score in finals.

      I totally agree about Foyth, who like you, I am following closely with Villareal. Emery really seems to trust him and he is repaying that trust with some impressive defensive performances not to mention his versatility.
      He is not a CDM you’re right (I was wrong about that) nor is a RB but would make a decent sub for Montiel against strong attacking teams. The RB position as we all know is a barren waste land and the jury is still out on Molina, whom I need to observe until the end of the season to make a decent assessment on his NT eligibility.

      • Regarding Licha Martinez, he is exceptional with the ball as well as his ground defending. But I feel like his positioning at a time can be not upto the mark and can leave hole in the defence. Actually I can’t erase Venezuela 3-1 defeat from my memory, he was part of the reason of that defeat. My instinct says that Scaloni also remembers that, this is why he is hesitant to call him. Remember Scaloni only called him as a backup LB.

        I do not give up on Argie talents. I watched many of them become late bloomers. I trust that Licha will come out strong.

        • Yeah try to not hold the Venezuela game against him, a 3-man back-line with a confused squad selection, wasn’t the easiest setup for one to make their NT team debut in.

      • And regarding Otamendi, I believe he needs to be phased out within this year. My previous comment is more of a criticism of our young defenders, rather than a praise for Otamendi. I remember last copa semi final, how easily Otamendi got dribbled past by Gabriel Jesus for second goal. And I do not rate Gabriel Jesus a bit. That match should have been end of Otamendi, but here we are. The 2 goal we conceded in WCQ were due to error from younger CB.

    • Mafioso your first analysis is spot on. Foyth has become vastly good and Foyth is one of the best defender in La liga. Otamendi was decent recently,marking weakness in LMQ.But in Copa it was Pezella who got dribbled past by Gabriel Jesus not Otamendi. Otamendi has much to deliver. Sensei is slow and Licha Martinez is too short to play in Center Back position for Argentina. For me right now C. Romero, Otamendi and Foyth are best defender.
      Pezella and LMQ are decent but in Fiorentina they are continuously conceding goals.

  5. Foyth has been playing holding midfield.. which is a better position for him to reach his potential … I would have 4 heart attacks per game with him playing right back !! Lol

    • Per whoscored RB in 6 matches with 7,15 rating (average), CB in 6 matches too (7,17) DM 5 matches only 6,46, and sub in 5 matches, the guy is definitely not a midfielder.

      • Foyth is very reliable defender with good skills which can develop to be decent holding midfielder.
        For me he must for the nt because of his versatility however we won’t need to play for us in midfielder that area we have more than enough particularly Guido Rodriguez who turned to be
        A ball winner with good passing.

        • I am fine with Foyth playing DM only as a back up, and also RB as back up, as I trust Guido and Montiel more than him. But for CB if he keeps growing and being defensively solid I would like to see him there

  6. Argentina’s likely XI to play Japan tomorrow :

    Jeremías Ledesma; Hernán De la Fuente, Nehuen Pérez, Nazareno Colombo, Milton Valenzuela; Santiago Ascasibar, Santiago Colombatto; Fernando Valenzuela, Matías Vargas, Agustín Urzi; Adolfo Gaich

  7. I know it’s boring no match for us but there still something to looking forward to it such u23s.
    Ratings for some players.
    1 foyth =7.75 what utility man he becomes.
    Lmq = 7.80 after difficult starts he becomes one of the stand out performancer what is most difficult period la viola time.
    Lich martinez = 7.90
    Medina = 9 what first season 4 ligue 1
    Alexis MacAllister = 7 gain his managers trust but still he could a lo better.
    Acuna = 8
    Tagliafico =8
    Senesi =8
    Parades = 8
    Guide Rodriguez= 8 juve arsenal and Liverpool all want to sign him .
    E martinez =9 he absolutely transform Aston villa bk 4 to another level.
    De pual = 9
    E Buendia =9
    C. Romero = 10
    Lionel messi = 10 +10
    I could add more players but I don’t want make too long.

  9. Aston villa’s all time record goalscorer Gabby Agboblahor has claimed there is more chance of Aston Villa selling Villa Park(stadium) than Emiliano Martinez. He said Argentine is unsellable,indispanseable to Midland giants. They could double the £20 million we paid Villa would still turn it down..

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