Lionel Messi, Julián Álvarez rumored to start for Argentina vs. Estonia

By
Roy Nemer
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71

Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez are both rumored to start for Argentina vs. Estonia on Sunday.

Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni is set to make several changes from the team which won 3-0 vs. Italy in the Finalissima. Scaloni is set to start Lionel Messi up front with Julián Álvarez.

Scaloni will be without Ángel Correa, Emiliano Dibu Martínez and Leandro Paredes for the match. Per a report by TyC Sports, here is the rumored eleven:

Franco Armani; Gonzalo Montiel, Germán Pezzella or Lisandro Martínez, Nicolás Otamendi, Nicolás Tagliafico or Marcos Acuña; Rodrigo De Paul, Guido Rodríguez, Alexis Mac Allister; Lionel Messi, Julián Álvarez and Nicolás González.

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71 Comments

  2. We should play couple of matches where the opponent should go all 11 to defence with some counter bursts. Saudi Arabia might be taking the same strategy in their match like Iran in 2014. A starting match against such a strategy is not ideal. Let’s see what strategy Estonia takes in a friendly. Anyway good to see that Scaloni is planning to give some time on pitch to some faces who could not get much playing time against Italy. But Alvarez was impressive with his runs in the little time he got and, of course, that long range shot which was a replica of what Di Maria tried.

    • No I don’t think so. Saudi Arabia is like the Spain of Asia in that they have never been a defensive team. That’s why they rarely do well in the WC (because they don’t defend properly) but they always among the best ones in Asia (because they play offensive futbol against weaker asian teams).

      I believe we will win at least by 2 or more goals margin against them.

  3. @Anuparno: “You can’t compare with club and country. In club season they play once in a week but here we have to play 6 back to back match with difference of 3 days .only 1st and 2nd match we have 5 days gap”

    Look at Liverpool’s fixtures anytime in the past couple of years (the club I used as an example for us being able to press throughout the World Cup), or any big club playing multiple competitions for that matter. Counting backwards from today they have had 6, 5, 3, 4, 3, 4, 3, 3, 3, 5, 3, 3, 3, 5, 3 days of rest from game to game in order until you get back to the March international break. That’s more than two world cups back to back counting the number of matches with a similar average days of rest to what we would experience. If they can do that why can’t we do half of it by achieving the necessary fitness? Whether that happens or not is another matter but it certainly isn’t impossible. That’s also considering the fact they press more than we do.

    • They rotates a lot. We can not do that in wc other than injuries teams doesn’t rotate much in wc. Like against wolves before ucl final there was no van dijk no salah they even rotated in this 2 matches which was very important for them as against madrid it was ucl final and against wolves it was a title decider. But lets see the game before wolves against Southampton Liverpool 11 was
      Alisson
      Gomez matip konate tsimikas
      Elliott milner jones
      Takimo firmino jota
      Thats 7 changes from wolves games.
      Can anyone do that in world cup?? Don’t think so. Look if we win both the matches against Saudi Arabia and Mexico and already qualified will scaloni rest complete starting eleven?? No he can’t he may give rest to 1-2 players max bt not all because every match is important as topping the group is also very important

      • Anuparno, you saw Chori’s response and that is my response too. Like I said earlier we would modify our press throughout the tournament based on the opponent. With good fitness and an alternation of tactics based on the rivals we should be able to save some gas for when it’s necessary. That will be Scaloni and our staffs jobs to decide.

    • You’re logically right about fitness. the World Cup edges out overall since it’s more emotionally taxing. The final teams usually finish knackered and crawling from mental exhaustion.

      On the same post, You had a good point in that tactics could be modified by opponent to preserve fitness. Perhaps Saudi Arabia and Poland do not warrant hard pressing. Save the mad press for Mex and knock out.

  4. I hope Scaloni prepares a plan B from now on if the key players like Dibu, Romero, Depaul, Messi, above are juan musso, Lisandro,palacios, dybala, julian alvarez… therefore this trial is the right time to try a plan B formation don’t mind the defeat, in fact the current defeat makes everyone more alert and introspective.. I’m actually worried if this team wins ahead of the tournament which can make them overconfident

  5. Argentina’s toughest match will be in round 16, unless Peru serves us a favor, or one of France/Denmark arrive in a very bad form. The semifinal is possibly Brazil, maybe Spain.
    I know it’s pointless to think about these things and you never know what will happen. But I am old enough to remember worrying about Holland in 1998 and Germany in 2006, both times we had a fantastic team, but predictably had a very tough match and lost.

    • The defeat against Germany in 2006 was because of some horrible substitution decisions by Pekerman and the goalkeeper #1 injury. But still that’s a sad sad memory.

      • Easily. Their coach Van Gaal and his team are excellent in analysing opponents and find their weaknesses. Belgium was completely destroyed yesterday. Could have been 0-10.

        Our team is stronger than the Netherlands, but we do not have the tactical flexibility to exploit that. Remember Ajax can beat teams with 8x their budget.

    • Don’t get hyped seeing nations league matches. These r friendlies. European heavyweights naturally don’t show their full capabilities in friendlies like Argentina destroyed spain in 2010 by 4-1 in a friendly. Big teams will always play great in world Cup. And what can you expect from Belgium whose best player kevin debruyne was reluctant to play these tournament as he said in a press conference. Im not saying Denmark and Netherlands are weak as there is no easy opponents in knockouts but they’re much easier opponent than France or germany or spain. Btw nothing to worry if we have to win the wc we have to beat the best. In 2014 we faced Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, germany in the knockouts and we nearly won that year. Netherlands is decent team but some weaknesses and inexperienced

  6. Defending champions might again crash out from the group stage, especially if Peru makes it , which it should and with an African side in Tunisa in that group, anything can happen!!

  8. One thing Argentina should definitely not do is relax after taking one goal lead in the WC…….they should learn from what RM did to City………IDK why they keep doing that….I agree they scored 3 against Italy but they did not look that hungry

  9. What is it with Scaloni and Armani relationship? Musso and Benitez are better than him but Armani seems to be untouchable. And why does Messi has to start a non competitive matches? Let him start on the bench. He is 34 for fucks sake, and he even admitted to getting tired in a 90 minutes matches. What does Dybala need to do earn enough minutes against minnows? Start match without the Seniors Messi, Di Maria and Otamendi and see what happens? Stop protecting the unbeaten record and take some risks in the friendlies.

    • Armani performs good on scaloni training sessions, Messi had poor season and needs to score goals to back to the best, I support messi in playing 11 but Dybala should try in place of Dimaria

    • Yes, exactly as u said Leo even mentioned that by himself, maybe as hint or not, as it does not matter as Arg has to get Dybala and rest of bench players on the pitch and noonevof the regular starters !

    • I dont know about that, to me Armani > Rulli. Armani is consistent, he has always done well for the NT and he is proven to rise to the occasion in big tournaments (libertadores, etc). He also seems to be a leader and low drama for the coach.

      The way Rulli panicked infront of Liverpool punching even simple saves, he doesnt have the nerves for a WC.

  10. This time Argentina will have toughest possible path to the WC final..!
    Denmark/France (I wish for France)
    Netherlands
    Spain/Brazil
    Germany/France

    • Well, I’m done worrying about who are our KO opponents are. Everything is game by game right now. My concern right now is Saudi Arabia. Anyone with info on how they play? I know their coach Herve Renard was very successful coach in African football. Who are their best players and how they play is my main concern. I know a few things about Poland and Mexico. But Saudi Arabia, I know nothing. Last time I checked Iceland was supposed to be a shooting practice match. And then we all know what followed. We need to be humble and stop singing talking about Brazil right now. (Fans are free to do what they want, but it was not reasonable to mock and sing about Brazucas after we beat European champions Italy. Messi and Scaloni should address that immediately.

      • Saudi Arabia should be our easiest match. They are good enough to be the top 5 in Asia but have no experience outside. All their players are playing in the local league which is not even a top league in Asia. They qualified simply because they knew how to beat smaller teams in their Asian qualifiers, and they did that with very narrow margins.

        They got lucky because Australia was horrible, otherwise they would have been in the play offs now.

    • That is great news and straight after MBABBE’s comments about SA football, though Dane’s obviously the oldest current Kingdom from those who are Still existing and have their royalties in Europe as a european country, but Denmark and Danish Queen is a bit of different from others as sometimes she seems to seek a kind of normal life or at least once did and have or had one thing in common at least once with chainsmoker Menotti as before people smoked cigarets in literally everywhere in Denmark as the Queen was a super chainsmoker and the people smoked even in the banks or where so ever and now most propably that has changed as i assume, but Still 20 year’s back it was completly normal for the dane’s to smoke all over the place as i lived and worked in there for 7-8 year’s from mid 90’s to until the end of 2002 and after 2001 as the world completly changed after 911 so did Denmark and their goverment and turned upside down from one of most democratic european countries to an super anti foreign policy, such crazy u-turn it was, Still can’t belive it as Denmark was packed from foreigners from all over as i had friends from every Continent of the world and even used to play chess with an guy from Bangladesh who had paid a fortune and was going to pay rest of his life too for human trafickers who smugled him and others in a same cargo which i think even travelked only by trucks from all the way to Bangladesh to Denmark, a fucking hell, what an trip that guy and others who were in same cargo had to go through…never can’t even imagine how did must have they felt, though we spoked about a bit while playing chess together and man what an chess player he truly was too as i had an Indian friend too who also played very well indeed and it was such a fun to see theese 2 guys playing each other, but when my friend’s arrived to visit me they were Still superior in chess as they were professional players specially one friend of mine was amazing player who could easily win playing as blind man’s chess and we had some funny moments together as there were those on the street who u could play against with money so we toyed one arrogant guy a bit by first playing about 100 euros and my friend was drunk, but acted even a bit more drunked as he was and let that guy win the first game and was cursing and swearing after and wanted a Re-match and that arrogant guy accepted and asked what is the bet and my friend shouted very loud that 500 euros and they guy started to smile and took the bet, but was so pissed as he lost in very a short time and that was the only misstake my friend did as he beat that guy too fastly as it was obvious that the guy found out that we had toyed and cheated him so in the end i told my friend to return that guys money and i think in the end they agreed to splitted and so my friend won in the end only 150:euros instead of taking that arrogant guys 500, lol ! So arrogant u can be, but there is a line not to be crossed, but i’m not reffering to Arg’s celebration somgs about Brazil as i think they do have a right to sing those songs specially after VARSIL COPA AND AFTER THE HEALTH INVADERS+ what happened to Boca’s team in BRAZIL And, well the list is enourmous so better let it be..,, but MBABBE got a straight taste of what can happen if u crosss the line being too cocky and arrogant cunt !

    • I sense an issue in that locker room. Mbappe has a huge ego…Deschamps has been there far too long. I just don’t see France going all the way. Benzene is playing fire but will he be 6 months from now?

  14. Netherlands playing well they can be our quarter final opponent. France and Denmark playing in nations league then why we can’t play against Mexico??

    • Dude stop whining about anything and everything. We all wants Arg to test against teams but there could be reasons why they are not happening and i bet AFA is trying best not to over or under expose teams including Lionel Scolani and rest of squad. TRUST THE PROCESS.

      • Let’s stop being cocky here. Should Argentina meet Netherlands in QF that will anyone’s game. Netherlands has best defense of Van Dirk, Delight, Ake, Blind not talking about their strong midfield. We are all supporting Argentina but let’s be open minded on the opponents we face from Knockout stage. Infact Netherland will be probably the toughest game of all should we avoid France.

  15. Armani!! 🤣🤣 I said many times before, right??!! But some of my honourable & pundit mates here often argue about this shit’s inclussion in the team & try to proove he will be 3rd choice & his wc experience will help blablabla….!!!!
    But mark my words, this old fool shit will be our 2nd keeper in wc while we’ve many better options & may easily sink our boat! Mr. Scaloni is doing a very wrong & absurding mistake in choosing the backup gk position, when the tournament is WORLD CUP, there is no room of any lobbing, biasness here. It will just kill you!

    • This is tyc prediction. You can see different players in starting eleven also. Armani is not the best but he is right now better than the error prone rulli atleast

    • The problem is Scaloni refused to call Walter benitez. But now it’s too late. I hope Scaloni opts for 3 goalkeepers. Emi Martinez and Musso should be top 2, with maybe Armani. Reason I would go for Armani is because Rulli is too much error prone and his height is a big disadvantage.

  17. Armani and Macalister always perform in training sessions reason played ahead of Musso/Rulli and Papu/domingez.

  18. Romero, de paul and Martinez. These three players are the most consistent performer in recent time. Any of these players can not be replaced.

        • Lol im not Brazilian supporter. Thn why would i join an argentine blog. But yes i keep distance with this kind of idiotic celebration. I never seen messi did this things

          • what are talking about? when Richarlison and his teammates were trolling us after we crashed out of olympic where were you? going on interviews talking how much he hate argentina. sometimes i wonder whether you are fan or a troll. Leave the boys alone, they just letting off some steam. and again when are they not motivated to face us? we feel the same way too, so harm done

  21. Why doesn’t Scaloni use a game like this to give Dybala 90 mins or 60 mins of playing time to show what he can really do. All Dybala gets is 15-20 minutes here and there and then people say he sucks for the national team. Smh.

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