Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni on FIFA decision, playing European friendly matches

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Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni spoke about FIFA’s decision in regards to their match against Brazil and organizing friendly matches against European teams.

Lionel Scaloni commented on FIFA’s decision of suspending four of his players. For the two World Cup qualifiers against Brazil, Cristian Romero, Emiliano Martinez, Gio Lo Celso and Emiliano Buendia will not be available. Those four players have been suspended for two matches. Scaloni spoke about FIFA’s decision. Here is what he had to say:

“The strangest thing of this are the sanctions against the players. It has been various matches where I have not been able to count on Romero. If it continues like this, he will get to the World Cup with a pair of matches, nothing more. We have seen him very little.

“Lo Celso is the same thing. It appears to me totally unjust, I hope the situation can be reversed. We have to work on that. The AFA appealed asking for the reason of the ruling, we will see the answer. We have included them on the list, we hope to have them.”

Scaloni also spoke about the match against Brazil being rescheduled for June:

“It’s going to be very weird playing these matches after the qualifiers would be practically over. I think it’s a match that doesn’t suit Argentina or Brazil but if it has to be played, it will be played.”

In regards to playing friendly matches against European countries:

“There are a lot of national teams that are still playing the qualifiers. In March, it will be decided and from there things will be more clear.

“It’s evident that it interests us to play against national teams that are not from South America. We are working on that but also, the other national teams are waiting for the qualifiers to be able to organize their friendly matches which are not a lot. And this year, the time to prepare for the World Cup is ridiculous. You have to use the matches as a test.”

Regarding holding a training camp in Europe during the summer:

“You never know if it’s good or bad. The players are coming from a year full of matches, holidays are sacred and it has to be like that. Yes, it is true that the date in June could be used if we can’t organize matches against other nationakl teams. We could get together after the match against Italy and train but we won’t cut their vacations.”

Here are the following players which have been called for the two World Cup qualifying matches against Venezuela and Ecuador this month:

Goalkeepers:
Franco Armani (River Plate)
Juan Musso (Atalanta)
Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa)
Esteban Andrada (Monterrey)
Geronimo Rulli (Villarreal)

Defenders:
Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla)
Nahuel Molina (Udinese)
Juan Foyth (Villarreal)
Lucas Martínez Quarta (Fiorentina)
Germán Pezella (Real Betis)
Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica)
Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur)
Lisandro Martínez (Ajax)
Nehuén Pérez (Udinese)
Nicolás Tagliafico (Ajax)
Marcos Acuña (Sevilla)

Midfielders:
Franco Carboni (Inter)
Leandro Paredes (Paris Saint-Germain)
Guido Rodríguez (Real Betis)
Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid)
Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen)
Manuel Lanzini (West Ham United)
Giovani Lo Celso (Villarreal)
Roberto Pereyra (Udinese)
Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa)
Alejandro Papu Gómez (Sevilla)
Nicolás Gonzalez (Fiorentina)
Lucas Ocampos (Sevilla)
Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United)
Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton)
Nicolás Paz (Real Betis)
Tiago Geralnik (Villarreal)
Valentin Carboni (Inter)

Forwards:
Ángel Di María (Paris Saint-Germain)
Luka Romero (Lazio)
Matias Soulé (Juventus)
Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain)
Paulo Dybala (Juventus)
Lautaro Martínez (Inter)
Ángel Correa (Atletico Madrid)
Julián Álvarez (River Plate)
Giovanni Simeone (Verona)
Lucas Boyé (Elche)

He also spoke about the young players which have been called up to the national team. Argentina play Venezuela on 25 March in Argentina and against Ecuador on 29 March.

27 Comments

  1. Ballon D’or voting pattern is getting changed…
    Main changes is;
    1.Voting will e restricted to Fifa top 100 countries representative instead of 170..and Fifa top 50 women countries representative also can vote..

    Normally European countries officials voting mainly for Ronaldo..and now for Lewandowski… anyway Messi is done for Ballon Do’r… whoever in the contention from outside of European countries will have big struggle to win..from now onwards…

  2. Playing strong sides in friendlies prior to WC will only makes those teams aware of our weaknesses and improving their strategy if they face us during the WC itself .

    We’ve seen that with Germany , we beat them in friendlies before WC 2010 and again in 2012 before WC 2014. We also played Germany in Conf 2005 and faced them in WC 2006. They never beat us outside the WC matches but during the WC, they always ended up winning, even if its through shootout or late goal.

    • I have also been thinking about this subject that if it is good to have another friendliess against those so called ”european Giants” and i’m also bit scared that they will as u said figure out Arg’s weakness and as u allready mentioned very well indeed as it never has favoured Arg in the WC even sometimes games or WC&Copa too ending by blody penalty’s etc.,

      As also it might be hard to even arrange bunch of friendliess against those ” european Giants”, maybe this time Arg should keep their cards on their sleeves and specially the ’Aces” and instead have a friendly against good African opponent as they can run as faster anyone else and are also very physical in their way of playing etc…

      Maybe even a top Asian side will be a good friendly to have as they might not yet be able to win the WC, but i think there can be some quite competive team’s from Asia too that, maybe also play with high tempo and run like hell etc.,

      Anyhow whoever Arg will play before WC, Arg must keep those ”Aces” in their sleeves and also prepare something to blow everyone as surprising moments in the game are allways decisive even they might not necessary allways work the way the one plan’s them etc.,,Still i think they are worth to try or at least have them as option if nothing else works, Lol !

      • Yes, here’s the thing, its not bad to play powerhouse teams in friendlies , but we need to experiments with our second strings player & try out different formations. Thats how Germany usually do in friendlies.

        Also, we have played Germany twice since WC 2014, beat them 4-2 in 2014 and drew 2-2 in 2018.

        In 2016 Copa, we beat Chile at group stage, but they changed their approach when we faced them in the final and was able to take the game in penalties once again.

  3. I’m happy, at this rate we may be forced to use the youth players. Which in my opinion they will not get a single minute unless we are forced to play them which may be the case. My mouth is watering, I can’t wait to see who will be the first to shine for the next generation.
    Btw F Brazil and double F Fifa.
    Fifa is the same as the united nations. They only work if Europe or north america calls them .

    • Fully agreed on your great comment about FiFA and UN !

      @SorinXcrespO :- Btw F Brazil and double F Fifa.
      Fifa is the same as the united nations. They only work if Europe or north america calls them .

      Also sounds very intresting indeed about that there might be a chance in the end for the youth’s as u explained in your post :

      -I’m happy, at this rate we may be forced to use the youth players. Which in my opinion they will not get a single minute unless we are forced to play them which may be the case. My mouth is watering, I can’t wait to see who will be the first to shine for the next generation.

      I truly hope this will be the case as i’m also super intrested about those youth’s included in the team etc…

  4. Otamendi has injured. He may not be playing the upcoming WC qualifiers. So our 2 dream duo would be paired in the upcoming qualifiers. Lisandro and cuti. That would be making a headache for scaloni to choose the starting CBs. Both romero and lisandro would also good long balls and through balls. And with Acuna in the left and Molina in the right would make a perfect combination of attack and defense.

      • Damn FIFA AND THEIR CORRUPTED FRIENDS FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE AS THEY ARE ALLWAYS TRYING TO STOP ARG IN A WAY OR ANOTHER AS IT IS COMPLETLY RIDICOULUS THAT THOSE EPL PLAYERS ARE SUSPENDED DUE WHAT HAPPENED IN BRAZIL AS IN MY OPPINION BRAZIL SHOULD HAVE BEEN BANNED FROM FOOTBALL AS THEY BANBED LEO FOR EXAMPLE AFTER THAT FULLY CORRUPTED COPA IN BRAZIL FROM WHERE ARG LOST TO BRAZIL ONLY DUE VAR WAS NOT ALOUD ONLY FOR THAT CERTAIN GAME AND IN EVERYOTHER GAME THEY USED IT AS THE ONE TELLING TRUTH OR CORRECTING EVERYTHING AS TRYING TO SHOW THAT HOW GOODLY THIS VAR WORKS WHEN IT IS PROPERLY USE , BUT OFFCOURSE WHEN IT IS ARG VS BRAZIL TOTALLY DIFFERENT STORY AND THEY COMPLETLY SHUT DOWN VAR OR MORE THAT THE BLODY REFEREE WHO WAS PAID OFF OR THREATENED PERHAPS TO DIE IF HE WOULD ALLOW ARG TO WIN OR WHAT SO EVER AND WELL THIS IS QUITE CLEAR THAT SOMEHOW HE AND MAINLY BRAZIL BENEFITTED FROM BY HIS DECISSIONS NOT LISTEN TO THE URUGUAYAN VAR REFEREE WHO EVEN CAME OUT WITH THIS STORY PUPLICLY ETC.., + WHEN MESSI OPENED HIS MOUTH THEY DECIDED TO RED CARD HIM AND BAN HIM FOR SOME GAMES ETC. FINES AND WHAT SO EVER BULLSHIT STORY ONCE AGAIN AGAIBST ARG BY CONMEBOL,FIFA, UEFA OR EVEN AS ALLREADY MENTIONED VERY CORRECTLY IN THE POST OF @sorinxcrespo THE BLODY UN IS NOT ANY DIFFERENT TO THEESE FULLY CORRUPTED ORGANISATIONS IN SUCH A MASSIVE AMOUNTS THAT NOONE CAN’t EVEN KEEP ON COUNT OF THEIR EXISTENCE AS THERE ARE SO MANY OF THEM IN THIS CROOKED WORLD ETC..AND WHAT ABOUT THE INVASION OF THEIR HEALTH AUTHORITIES WHICH FORCED TO STOP THE GAME ETC..,AS THIS LIST OF THEIR UNJUSTICE WITH FIFA’s APPROVAL IS NEVER ENDING !

          • Wow, i’m very gratefull to find about those Georgia guidestone’s as i did not knew about those one’s yet, so thnx a lot for helping me to discover them !

            But, seriously, please i think it is better to let them stand as they are and also written, lol !

  5. Angel Correa what a player he is turning out be.. miles ahead of both Grizeman and Suarez. Beside his goal scoring abilities , his passing and vision are equally good. Once he came in Atletico suddenly started looking so dangerous. DePaul’s goal was also a very good save of off Correa’s shot. Angel Correa should be the first in pecking order as a no-9 sub for Lautaro. Regarding Simone, his tactics seem to have been deciphered by all of his opponents and he is coaching is going downhill like mourinho!!

  6. If you believe that PSG Messi is the real Messi, think twice.

    https://youtu.be/e8ovtnl0mxQ

    Because just about 7-8 months ago he looked like this.

    I don’t believe someone can be that much of a decline in just 7-8 months unless the player had a torn ACL, torn MCL or broken legs or something like that 7-8 months ago. U will be surprised just like most PSG fans when seeing Messi in Argentina jersey because he would look like that one in youtube clip.

    • Messi was injured in Copa..then in Qualifier…after that…Messi is not same..may be he’s hiding something…
      He’s physically and mentally not fit..may be he is bored of winning troyphoes…he has won everything.. everything he could..except the World Cup…so don’t expect same performance.. anymore..

    • Look at Coutinho , how useless and flop of the decade he looked at Barca and now after moving to Villa, which suits his style of play he suddenly looks like the MVP he was at Liverpool. PSG play is not Messi’s cup of tea. The amount of passes he gets seriously questions the coaching ability of Poch and the intellect of his team mates. I can’t wait for Messi to dawn national shirt and get back to his scoring form again!!

    • I dont think Messi is going downfall. The fact is that he was not properly used. He has been shut down the whole game and noone is playing for his space. Instead, Messi is creating all space and other players dont know what to do with it.

      You can see in the game that noone is willing to make a return pass to him. The only time Messi get the ball is when the play is dead or people dont know what to do with the ball.

      PSG midfield needed to change. Verrati is good but if you want to play Messi and Neymar at the same time, Verrati need to be dropped because Verrati want to do thing on his own. But you know, Gana and Periera is worse version too. They have speed and physical but lacking intelligent play.

    • All this fuss’n hush about Messi playing created mostly by french media, because PSG didn’t knew how to use him properly in the first place+Then he was injured during Copa and again more injured in that qualifier+having Covid and bit of hard time from recovering from that as many who have had Covid are Still so called long Covid patience’s and getting treatment or at least suffering sympthoms from Covid long after they were hit by Covid in the first place+ some have had to suffer from several Covid Cases etc, so this whole PSG Messi saga don’t really surprise at all as french league is also very different to la Liga and adapting allways take’s time and if u been injured quite badly, having Covid sympthoms and bit of difficulity to recover from them+playing along those idiots who are only after headlines and thinking that they can do all by themselfs as at same time most of the blame that PSG is shit team and very poorly runned and managed with bunch multibillionairies is directly aimed at Messi because he has not scored that many goals or can’t so called dribble anymore past 2-3,4 and 5 opponents and Still has had most assits in top leagues in Europe+ åhitting framewirk several times which clearly is also evidence that neither luck has been on his side either after Copa victory first this Barca story and don’t care what is the truth of it, but only know that for sure he would have liked to stay mostly due to family issues and that finally after so many year’s of promises been made of that Barca will bring KUN to play with Leo at Barca where just empty promises and in the end when they finalky got KUN for free or did not have to pay for his transfer as on,y for his salary then Barca in way or another decided that they do not need Leo anymore and what ever the truth is that maybe they did not have money, but Still suddenly and most recently had the money to buy a lot of players or at least sign many new faces, it is Still quite hard to belive that they would suddenly decide to throw Leo out of the door as they did and think that they can rebuild a new team without Leo, maybe it is true or not as i do not care as anyhow i look at this treatment by Barca against Leo as completly betrayal no money or with enough money to keep him Still that is not important for me as for me Leo deffenetly did not deserve this kind treatment from the club that he has given his all and even with bunch of idiots and thief’s running and pulling the strings he Still kept loyal to them til’ the end as it just reminds me how good has Barca treated so many Arg players in the past as they did not care a bit for them and have allways only offcourse as club been intrested obviously about their own story, but Still it is completly unacceptable from Barca and from PSG and the french and global media to treat Leo this way that they have so fuck them all as i only care for Arg and want our captain back and showing everyone what he is Still capable of doing anfåd that there will be never ever a single player who can get even close him at any level as only Diego’s legacy remains the same or reprents the same for world football since it has started !

      • In fact those game’s that i have seen him play, well i can’t judge him of playing badly at all, though i heard that there been games that were not good from him, but why ? I don’t know as i did not see them so i can’t talk about that obviously as i only talk about what i have seen with my own eyes in the present and in the past, and offcourse any player at age of him will evently slow down thanx that is no secret or nothing new so, what are people expecting really ?
        That he will be that guy from totally different dinension and galaxy compare to another’s forever, no offcourse he have to think wise about his career and all i know and what i seen since Scaloni came and started to play with Leo, well he have been super determined and giving his best in every game, maybe in some of them he had knocks and injuries that he was carrying what is nothing new either as also 2014 he was not even close to his 100% best in physical level of condition so as he been so long that player who have allways played all in, well it is not surprise that he is been target of many opponents and also been fouled god knows how many times, so even Pep has to told him to hold his horses as noone that maybe only Messi can actually been able to play so many year’s with that level far beyond everyone else and that style of playing and giving all in has unfortunatly a sideffect sooner or later and in LEO’s case as he been told and warned about this by Pep allraedy year’s ago and knowing LEO’s determination, maybe Leo did not like to hear that from Pep which i completly understand in point of both’s view and that is totally understandable from both so no big fuss at all instead maybe with those recent injury set back’s from Copa and that qualifier+suffering from Covid sympthoms for more longer than expected and all this PSG bullshit stories and french media+the Catalan media and blody Barca treatment as Direct attack to his family and all those year’s of suffering and carrying Barca by his own and in the end getting completly wacked by Barca and now from the french media even i know that the Copa trophy lifted his spirit and mood way over anything, Still having to deal with so many obstacles in life, well anyone who is willing can just try imagine and put themselfs in to middle of all this and that and figure out by themselfs how hard it can be at mental level+ on top the physical level and injuries too+Covid and a bit more longer recovery than maybe expected etc., so it is no wonder to me personally that he is been bit cautious about him Self, as he completly deserves that as normal human being, but because he has rewritten the history football god knows how many time’s the level of people’s expectations have gone beyond any reasonable reach, so for me in the end it is a blessing that he will join the rest of Arg NT anfåd hopefully have good recovery from all this recent bullshit from Europe which in fact has lasted for quite so while even before Arg won Copa as he wanted to quit with Barca’s crooked owners and Still won the Copa with rest Arg Nt the treatment from Europe been so absurd that i think sometimes even him that has gone through everything has hard time understanding why they are Still treating like him as they do in Europe as before he it was completly the opposite as Arg media was constantly after him and giving him hard time,

        well i do understand critics and i’m also critical when there is need to be, but i don’t like hater’s even i do hate some as i try really not to, but it is hard as being fan of Arg for life and also living in this crooked world, but Still i try to avoid it as much as i can or at least i’m aware of it, when i’m pissed and hating certain things etc…and then try to go back to basic’s and avoid anger and rage, but it is process of life and just way that i have decided to follow or path that i stepped in and found, but not yet walk through of it at all as for me at least it us quite long path to walk through, but at least i’m aware of that and trying to finish that hopefully one day before my time is up etc…but, at least for me it is not certainly that easy at all everytime to fullfill it, but sometime’s things go and do get forward as sometimes there might be a few steps backward, but marching on forward is my goal to be as positive as possible and try get rid of everything about negative, but also i do know and i’m aware of that fact that until i have to live with this negative world and be surrounded by that, well so it will be and i just have to face it way or another as Still i want to and also must TaKe care of my kids until i’m sure that they can manage by their own and maybe then i will seek for ultimate peace of Mind etc…at least to try acomplish the path that i have taken or chosen and if i can acomplish that, well then i might return and try use my energy for to acomplish something good for others too, as now it is literally impossible as i have to allways think of my kids first and then other family members etc.,,, but offcourse i wish many times that my energy level will also last to reach others as friends or even people i do have not maybe met,yet, but perhaps oneday i will as i belive in equal rights and justice for all so this is also my biggest wish for everyone in this world obviously, but so far i can only wish and hopefully one day can also do something in real life to help others or those who are in need of it as most, but as there is so many of them, it is literally mission impossible, lol

        But, right now Still my biggest wish is obviously Arg winning WC with Leo and if not so, well then at least in coming year’s as i want to experience that special moment in life once more as also i was so young at 78 and also not that old at 86 and offcourse that is long time ago that Arg winning this year’s Copa was just amazing and i want have that happening again for Arg and everyone supporting Arg as i also want my kids to witness that as they did when Arg beat Brazil at Maracana ! So suddenly from year’s of missery the future at least for Arg looks much more brighter in every Sense as it is absolutly fantastic to hear about how things being handled now and specially this new youth’s program it so good news for everyone, god bless all those behind it and involved in it as that is the way to go as youth’s are alkways the key for future and not only in football !

  7. Argentina has currently identified no fewer than 300 youngsters under the age of 20 in Europe who would be eligible for the Seleccion.
    “That number keeps changing,” Tassi explained in an interview with Doble Amarilla, “and perhaps in a month we’re talking about more than 400.”

    The appearance of these fresh faces is no accident, but rather the result of an exhaustive, year-long scouting project coordinated from the highest levels of the Argentina national team set-up.

    What a decision..by AFA..😍🔥👌

  8. Suppose Messi, Di Maria, Otamendi, Lautaro, Emi, Dybala, LoCelso, Papu, Palacios etc are all injured or suspended..! We are done..? Not at all.
    Still We have a great team that can beat any team in the world. Scaloni has made a great team already.

    Nico-A.Correa-Ocampos
    Parades -Guido-DePaul
    Acuna-Lisandro-Romero-Montiel
    Musso

    Scaloni’s Argentina has great replacement in each and every positions.

  9. He stated what anybody with a functioning brain already knew, its BULLSHIT and makes ZERO sense. Had the shoe been on the other foot, FAKEFI would have slapped ARG with a L and minus 3 points, so fast their heads would have spun.

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