Facundo Medina has been called up to the Argentina national team to replace the injured Lisandro Martínez for the upcoming double matchday against Paraguay and Peru.
The 25-year-old left-footed center-back from Lens has played 70 minutes with the Argentina senior team, always coming off the bench. He featured in two games during the 2022 World Cup qualifiers and one friendly match.
With this confirmation, another left-footed center-back who was rumored as a potential replacement, Marcos Senesi of Bournemouth, will not be included in coach Lionel Scaloni’s squad.
Nicolás González was also confirmed days ago to be out of the squad due to injury, and it appears he will not be replaced.
Here is the updated list of players called-up for the two World Cup qualifiers:
Goalkeepers:
Emiliano Martínez – Aston Villa
Gerónimo Rulli – Olympique Marseille
Walter Benítez – PSV Eindhoven
Defenders:
Gonzalo Montiel – Sevilla
Nahuel Molina – Atlético Madrid
Cristian Romero – Tottenham Hotspur
Leonardo Balerdi – Olympique Marseille
Facundo Medina – Lens
Nicolás Otamendi – Benfica
Nehuén Pérez – Porto
Nicolás Tagliafico – Lyon
Midfielders:
Leandro Paredes – AS Roma
Alexis Mac Allister – Liverpool
Rodrigo De Paul – Atlético Madrid
Exequiel Palacios – Bayer Leverkusen
Enzo Fernández – Chelsea
Giovani Lo Celso – Real Betis
Enzo Barrenechea – Valencia
Thiago Almada – Botafogo
Nicolás Paz – Como 1907
Facundo Buonanotte – Leicester City
Forwards:
Alejandro Garnacho – Manchester United
Lionel Messi – Inter Miami
Lautaro Martínez – Inter Milan
Julián Álvarez – Atlético Madrid
Valentín Castellanos – Lazio
Good that ARG has called Medina, but can’t understand why not Senesi too…?
2 players allready injured from defense as LICHA and Pezzella, but only one 1 replacement..?
Also Nico’s injury was known for some time til now, but also no replacement..?
Hopefully there won’t be more players dropping out from ARG team…
Also not fully sure about CUTI’s fitness, but really hoping him to start!
Only thing or a possible reason for not calling more replacements, which come to my mind is, that maybe some clubs did not want to release them, which sounds a bit weird , because ARG players usually will push their will of playing for ARG NT through and many will allways put ARG NT before their clubs etc…
Other thing, which I’m also a bit skeptical is, that Senesi is not called, because of an injury as if so, well one would think, that will be reported for sure..
So fingers crossed, that were will no more injuries to ARG team…
Otherwise it will look even more strange why there are no more replacements, than Medina..?