Lionel Scaloni comments on Argentina World Cup draw, Sergio Agüero, friendly matches

By
Roy Nemer
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58

Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni commented on the World Cup draw, Sergio Agüero and the friendly matches.

Lionel Scaloni spoke about several topics during Thursday’s press conference. From Lionel Messi and Franco Armani starting in Friday’s World Cup qualifier to the youth players on the team and to the absences of Lautaro Martínez and Paulo Dybala for these World Cup qualifying matches.

Scaloni also spoke about the World Cup draw on April 1 in Qatar and Argentina. Laughing about having to wear a suit as it’s protocol, here is what he had to say:

“Putting on the suit is complicated for me, I like to be comfortable, haha. Whatever happens, it’s going to be difficult, I’m not going to do the math.

“Whatever happens, happens. When the draw ends, we have to say that it’s difficult because it is impossible for it to be good. You have to play against everyone, to do it in the best way possible. A World Cup is a unique occasion and it’s so unpredictable that one doesn’t know what can happen.

“If I have to make a wish for the draw it’s that it brings me directly to the round of 16, ha!”

The Argentina national team coach also spoke about Sergio Agüero and his role with the team for the World Cup:

“It’s more than clear that he is well received here. I spoke with him and it’s important that we know the role he can play so that he doesn’t come here just to come here. Because it won’t do him any good either. I was clear with what I wanted from him, we talked about it and I would like him to be with us.

“I would like him to be around his team mates, to help with problems, anything that could happen in a World Cup. Typcial things that someone who is close to the players can do. After that, I don’t think there is a better image than Sergio to represent Argentine football.”

In regards to the friendly matches:

“The fixtures for European football are going to end between the 15 and the 22 and the match against Italy is on the first. Our idea is that as soon as they are done, we get together to have seven or eight days of training. And after that, from that match, we see what other rival we can play.

“The guys are coming after a long season and it’s not a question of us having them for 25 days for them to lose 15 days of vacation. You have to play a bit with that, wanting us to train but not keeping them from being focused and robbing them of their vacations. Which could take its toll on us in the future.”

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58 Comments

  3. Arg.always unlucky when starting before a big tournament thr main players suffers injuries. So this time Scaloni must take other plan C to bring equal couple of players as thy are equal to main players.

  4. My disappointments on this 2 game squad :
    1) I was analyzing the top 5+ scorers in Europe’s 5 leagues this season. Basically they would average at 15+goals/ assists in season & would be a list of 30-35 players.
    Apart from Gio Simeone , & a couple of Rennes/France guys( Martin Terrier & laborde) , Iago Aspas ( 34yrs & lately discarded from Spain NT) – all of these players are in NT . Interesting to see some of these in-form players like Nkunku, Mousa Diaby & de Tomas getting recent debut calls in French & Spanish NT. Extremely unfortunate Gio Simeone was not given a chance this time ( especially with Lautaro out) & hope he dosent become another NT outcast like Benitez & Senesi.
    2) Another lost opportunity is Armani starting . Musso & Ruili should have played 1 game each. Even if Armani has a good game, i will maintain this since eye for the future is missing in this preference.
    3) Kept thinking on a Medina or LMQ over Pezella. But i guess Pezzella playing is fine as he will be 4th CB & his experience will be handy while Medina/ LMQ can get chances later & may not be a spectacular upgrade for now.
    4) Given that we anyway have extra players , Dybala cld have been bought in as a sub. He has started playing in Juve
    My hopes for the 2 games:
    1) I really want Alvarez & Angel Correa to get solid minutes & not do some 10min sub role. This is their chance to make a solid impression as the backup stars
    2) Scaloni shld play Alejandro Garnacho for a cameo & seal his NT future
    3) Hoping to see Messi rejuvenate & rejoice back with NT.
    4) Palacios seals the MF sub spot in final squad with a strong display here. I have no trust on Macclister

    • You are spot on, Amit.
      I’m very optimistic about La Selección, but when I analyze our team selection with the likes of Brazil, France, Spain and Portugal; somehow it frustrates me considering the fact that how we keep ignoring those deserving players who aspires to fight for the Sky blue and white.
      You will never see Brazil ignoring those players who are in hot form (for instance like Vinicius, Anthony, Martinelli, etc).

      I just wish everything goes well for the team I support, and maybe Mr.Scaloni is doing what’s best for the team.

    • Great points. Precisely my worry too. We are in a good position and qualified early. We could have made some progress. But seems to be going backwards or not trying to solve some problems. Strikers nd GK are big concerns.

      Alvarez must get 90 mins. Cannot understand J. Correa and Armani at all

  5. Btw, I got tickets for Argentina vs Italy Finalissima!!!
    Super happy and excited to see Albiceleste for the first time!
    VAMOS ARGENTINA 🤍💙

  6. Unless he will perform poorly against Venezuela and/or will hardly get any minutes for Inter this remaining season, Joaquin Correa start means that he is still Scaloni number 1 direct back up of Lautaro. Ahead of: Julian Alvarez, A Correa, Dybala, Boye, or some new comers.

    It is a bit untair because A Correa, Julian Alvarez both outperform J Correa this season for their clubs.

    Alexis start means we are quite thin in midfield department. Lo Celso, De Paul, and Papu are the first 3. Palacios was supposed to be the 4th but not now anymore for some weird reason. Nico Dominguez is more like the third DM in Scaloni’s eyes behind Paredes and Guido. Buendia is more like right winger. Lanzini is below Alexis now in pecking order.

    I am still not convinced with Alexis. He can only look “OK” if u give him all the set pieces resposibily. But we know Messi is gonna take all the FK and CK. Without set pieces Alexis is just a dead wood doing nothing. Not good at defending, not a hard worker, very limited skill, super slow, and not a good team player. I am sure if we start Soule or Luka or Garnacho or even Fede Redondo there, it would be better. At least they are young and clearly has future with Argentina, not like Alexis “the 2022 Meza” MacAllister.
    England or Scotland or whatever his roots is, please neutralize him, but not Garnacho pls.

    I predict this guy will only make the simplest passes or back passes against Venezuela, that’s all.

    • I also thought Alvarez will start.
      Scaloni has clear idea about his project and he knows about all the players. He wants hard working strikers together with Messi. That’s why Nico gets chance, plus his speed, dribbling etc become big factor in that selection. I think same criteria applied for J.Correa too.

  7. Italy failing to qualify against North Macedonia was a big surprise…
    32 shots vs 4
    16 corners vs 0
    In the end only goal matters

    This team also beat Germany last year. Hope they can knock out Portugal as well now that they are on a big high, would be very funny

  8. I’m wondering in my many years on this site, never seen a yellow fan leaving a comment on this site. Does this mean our NT is scaring them after Copa win ???

  9. WTF Italy lost to Macedonia?? Was expecting Italy to knockout Portugal, Now we may have to again see that bloody CR7 again in another WC, And god knows he will score against Macedonia and the whole world will start praising him, I actually hate to see any news on Messi nowadays since his disaster of a move to PSG, Whichever article of Messi i am searching that bloody CR7 face pops out…Was suppose to enjoy this 2022 WC without CR7 now he will be there too. And i m sure he will be motivated like anything to win it, out of all the bad things happened in life, hope he wont win the WC. Messi meanwhile is in his own world i think he is waiting for the WC to unleash himself. I Hope so, he is having a terrible PSG time.

  11. Keep calm guys. These Brazil fans don’t know what really a team and it’s fans mean. I am from a small state called Kerala in India. India is not a big footballing nation. Hence people here always supported some other nation when it comes to international football (Except when they play against India). People in India generally support all footballing heavy weights including Argentina and Brazil. But in Kerala it is all about Argentina and Brazil. Mostly Argentina fans exceeds Brazil fans. Almost every streets and junctions are divided among these two during international tournaments.

    Coming to the point, somebody here told that Argentine football is nothing for outsiders which is totally untrue. Argentina were not winning tournaments and trophies as frequently as the team in yellow did. Argentina is not their mother nation for Indians or Keralites. Argentina has got nothing similar with India or Indians. Yet it has got amazing and outnumbering fan base than Brazil here. Yes, the Brazil which has huge similarity with Indian economic and social system. The Brazil, which is racially somewhat similar to India, is 2nd placed when it comes to football trailing to Argentina in India. This tells something. A fan base, which exists for no strong reason in your pain and gain, is not meant for all. There are several such communities all over the world for this same nation. That is not the case for some others. They always need something to show others or else they will go for some other team. The only request from my side to those people is that, please don’t join us. It is very correct that we won the last major tournament beating Brazil in their territory but we are not ready to accomodate glory hunters. We are all about pedigree and passion. Please don’t dare to reply here because that will expose you further showing your incompetency and intolerance when truth is being said.

  12. Que el Diego los gambeteó, que el cani los vacuno, que están llorando desde Italia hasta hoy..

    Brazil is a much larger country than Argentina in terms of population giving it an inherent advantage. To get a better of seemingly Brazil’s only argument (the five world cups), Brazil has a World Cup for every 43,000,000 people while Argentina has one for every 22,500,000 people. Brazil one Copa America per 23,900,000 people while Argentina one per 3,000,000. Argentina vastly outperforms Brazil in correlation to its human resources.

    Argentina haven’t played good football since 86? You know we scored the best collective team goal in World Cup history in 2006 right?

  13. I suggest everyone to stop feeding this lonely guy ( Free flowing attack ) who are trying get some spice in his life by getting some attention in a forum is was always been peaceful and amazing to read.

    Just ignore him and He will find his try harding effort worthless and soon will be bored cause no one is paying attention that we wants to get.

  14. I am pretty sure mysonDavid is another account created by the same person to fake numbers on the Brazil side. Seems very obvious, with the same arguments and style of writing. Shows up exactly when free flowing attack is getting slandered to respond to himself. Very pathetic attempt

    • Thats really funny. It’s profile was created 10 minutes after 1st comment, shortly after TheFreeFlowingTroll emerged. Replying to himself is so pathetic its hilarious.

      • Yeah hahaha at one point he even responded to himself saying “I know right – blah blah blah” and I couldn’t help but laugh. I mean I don’t blame him, the Copa loss in his backyard I’m sure wasn’t easy

  16. The real shame is Brazil is still making it to the world cups somehow after Miniero… and then Maracanal… a respectable team would have taken a sabbatical or gone into hiding…lol

  17. Ranking 6th Italia lost to rank 62 North Macedonia; a reality that ranking is not a guarantee. What record in the past will stay in the past; football is a forward approach not just a glory in the past.

    Stop this useless debate between Banana vs Tango, we are all Albiceleste family.

  19. @freeflowing_bowel_movement: have a 7up and shut up…ha ha.. Basil is like a petulant child didn’t realize it’s time is up.. always need the 12th man referee to win… now you bring govt officials also.. pathetic..ha ha….Pele lost his respect by crying everytime someone compares him to a modern great.. and your players are secret stalking argentina team on social media like creepy pervs.. keep calm and eat shit

    ‘Your son David’ can do the same

  20. Hello my beautiful fellow Argentinian fans, I always come here and read everything in this beautiful site but never leave a comment, can’t be bothered lol. However today I see few stupid Brazilian fans here writing some nonsense stuff. I don’t want to be rude to these stupid Brazilian fans as I’m 40 years old, it would have been different when I was 20 or 30, if you are Brazil fan and feeling lost and lonely and that’s why you are here in this site that’s fine. You know Argentina is completely superior to you and any other team in every way and that is why you are here. You are welcome to join us. And yes you said it we are proud to be 15 times winners of coppa America, your team was participating in all those tournaments and they lost to us why because without any doubt Argentina is the best, strongest team in America. And yes we are proud of messi and 7 Golden balls of his, you wished Neymar had one by now 😉, I like Neymar or Ronaldinho and dani Alves for the record, just because they are messi’s friends. And of course we are proud of God of football, our beautiful Diego, he is watching us from the sky, without any doubt Messi and Maradona are two best footballers of all the times and nobody comes close to them. So yes we are proud to be Argentinian fans, and the beautiful colours of the flag, blue and white and the beautiful sun wow, I’m getting happy and excited just thinking about it, I love you Argentina

  21. Now, Argentina,Brazil, Uruguay and Ecuador qualified for the WC. Peru, Colombia and Chile will fight for the last spot..thats is for play off against an Asian team. At the moment, Peru has great chance to qualify for the WC.

  22. Oh you f…king yellow bananas talking about cheating
    You re biggest cheaters, don’t you remember in 2019 copa when Argentina dominated you in your own home again. but var, refree came to your rescue… one more thing in case you don’t know after Qatar world Cup, Brazil will hire foreign coach and probably will be Argentine, what a humiliation,

    • Their most promising player Vini got owned by an Uruguayan on Sunday… militao and casemiro ate 4 goals..4 goals.. yes it was ‘free flowing’

  23. World Cup is just another trophy. When you have more count, you can say you are the best team. Most successful NT in the world is Argentina. Brazil also have same number of big trophies.
    We have reached final of the first WC. We defeated you in your first international match by 3-0.
    When was the last time Brazil reached final of the WC?
    When was the last time Brazil defeated an European team in the knockout of the WC?
    Big team..? Now they are far from it.

  24. Oh we have some Banana yellow fans in here……….I wonder why you feel the need to come here and tell us how great your team is, I’m sure you have your own site where you can rub against each other and suck on one another all you want!!

    • What do you mean dumbfuck?

      Big teams are big teams regardless of trophies. WC comes every 4 years. It does not have to define big teams. According to you Juve has not been a big team in 15 years and Inter in 12 years.
      According to you two morons PSG and City never have been big teams bcz they never won the UCL lol

  29. Brazil rules and are the most successful football team. Only deluded Argentina fans think they are equal to Brazil in football. The keep talking about the copa win in Brazil and forgot that Brazil won the previous copa before last summer’s edition and moved on with no euphoria. Neutrals don’t fear Argentina as they are an average football country.

    • If Brazil is a way better team means why can’t they dominate Argentina all the matches you kid. Look at the face to face records. I think Brazil is just ahead by 4 wins or so. Why poor boy a great team like Brazil couldn’t dominate an average team like Argentina in total face off. 😂😂.

  30. No doubt Arg and Brazil still the giant of Conmebol. South American team have to win at Qatar. If Brazil won it in Japan / Korea. Now Argentina will win it in Qatar. Let’s not bring polemic on Yellow performance, they won it on penalty as Chile is finished. Lets discuss Argentina against Venezuela preparations. SA teams always play a beautiful football. A masterclass and art of football. Sometimes with trick and dirty playing 😉 and it makes us all excited to watch and discuss

  31. Listen dude Brazil is so ugly to watch
    Argentina play more attractive football than Brazil. Does Brazil have midfielder like paredes and de Paul The answer is simply is no. I switched the channel to watch Uruguay cose your Brazil is way too boring

    • You don’t know nothing about football
      Brazil goals are mainly due contra attack. Argentina scored 25 pass move goal in world Cup 2006 and play best football in that world Cup
      Under bielse was crazy attacking after attack same basile Even diego in South Africa Argentina was joy to watch before Germany ambush.
      In all honesty Argentina more attacking team than yellows but I don’t want argue with you cose you are lack of knowledge plus you re troll
      Argentine and ugly football don’t associate

      • See you so naive, you know what I saw last summer Argentina beat Brazil in thier our yard and lift the cup that is more painful than you can imagine nutter.

      • Argentina plays the ugliest football in South America and cheated on the 2 times they won the world cup. Everyone remembers the hand of god goal against England and what happened in 1978.

    • Brazil is just a counter attacking team. That’s it. If they met with teams like Germany in 2014 playing like current man city that is not loosing the ball in the middle means Brazil is neutralised. Over for that yellow sluts. Give the ball to fred he would pass to the opponent team😂😂

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