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Roberto Ayala: “We want an Argentina with Lionel Messi, not by Messi”

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Roberto Ayala gave an interview where he spoke about the Argentina national team, Lionel Messi and coach Lionel Scaloni.

Ayala, who played over 100 matches with the Argentina national team, is now part of the current Argentina team staff. Speaking in an interview with Goal, Ayala spoke about current captain Lionel Messi. Here’s what he had to say:

“In terms of the game, it’s obvious that he always was and is a leader. He’s a guy that likes to decide, that has no problem deciding the play, to finish it. Today, I see a very good combination. We hope to he able to help him, that the team gives him a hand too.

“We would like to have a team with Messi and not by Messi. The idea is to have players around him that could be empowered with him and that they too can take advantage of having him by their side.”

The former Argentina captain also spoke about Messi’s role being the captain:

“I see a man who took on the responsibility of being the captain both on and off the pitch. He’s in charge of marking this new generation with that sense of belonging that we also had.

“I think that’s what must be highlighted. It’s the place where he feels comfortable, he wants to be here and where he would like to win something with the Argentina national team.”

Regarding current Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni:

“It’s normal for someone to not have that experience (as a coach) to be put into doubt. I believe that the silence, the clarity, the way to make things normal has made it so that Lionel has earned that continuity. And obviously the results.”

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni talks about Sergio Aguero, Lautaro, much more

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Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni spoke about Sergio Aguero, Lautaro Martinez, who will get the number 9 spot and more.

Lionel Scaloni gave an interview with Sportia where he commented on both Sergio Aguero and Lautaro Martinez. In regards to Lautaro Martinez possibly joining Barcelona, here’s what he had to say:

“If he plays with Messi, it’s better, there’s no doubt about it. And he also has to fight for his spot like he did with Inter.

“Lautaro continues to be a young player with a lot to give and a lot to learn. When Kun (Sergio Aguero) made that joke (about if Lautaro would reach the same number as goals as he has with Argentina) about the Argentina national team… Imagine everything he has to do to reach what he reached. And other strikers too.

“If he changes clubs, he doesn’t have to be the undisputed starter. That won’t affect us. He has a huge future with a lot to give.”

On who will be the number 9 for Argentina:

“We will decide based on the opponent and how the players are doing. It’s a lack of respect to decide now as it’s not clear. They are all good and the decision will be taken at that time.

“Talking a lot about Lautaro, a lot about Lautaro but it’s Sergio that’s breaking all of the records. For that reason you have to be calm about it and everyone has to wait for their turn.

“If he goes to Barcelona, the coach will have the same great problem as I have. Putting together the three or four strikers he has who are all phenomenal.”

Regarding football right now:

“We’re in a lot of uncertainty. We all know that football, beyond having good players and playing well, the moments are very important. We came up with a very good idea and there’s no surprise for the players in terms of what the future lists are going to be. We wanted to play because we felt good.

“What I asked myself as a former player is that this year, the seasons are going to end in August and the next one has to start. I don’t know how they are going to fix the schedules so that the national team can play.

“And the second thing are the number of matches that these guys have to play. It’s going to be a complicated one with a lot matches. There will practically be no friendly matches until the World Cup. Always and when the Copa America is played, there won’t be matches for the friendlies. I don’t see it that easy to fit in matches in the calendar for the national team to play.”

About the Argentina national team:

“The best ones come, beyond being good people, the ones that are here are incredible. We call up the best, we leave out some players who we have an affection for and it hurts us. It weighs a lot on you. The national team is open for everyone.”

The calling up players:

“Maybe if they would have told me from the start that I would be staying until the World Cup in Qatar, the decisions would have been the same but I’d have been less relaxed.

“We took those six months in a very relaxed way.”

Scaloni mentions that the idea was to:

“Not cal those who no longer have anything to prove. Let’s play these games and have these guys put on the shirt.”

About him staying on as coach:

“It was given to me in a positive way. I never thought I’d stay.”

He mentioned that AFA president Claudio Tapia told him:

“Let’s have these matches and that’s it.”

But after the wins vs. Mexico, Tapia told him:

“You don’t want to stay?”

“If a team isn’t with their coach, in the end, it ends up falling. We were fine, we felt supported and there was no reason not to continue.”

Ricardo Gareca says 2018 was ideal time for him to coach Argentina

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Ricardo Gareca has stated that 2018 was the ideal time for him to coach the Argentina national team.

Gareca coached Peru to a 2019 Copa America final and while speaking in an interview with TyC Sports, mentioned that after Jorge Sampaoli left Argentina following the 2018 World Cup, he could have managed Argentina. Here’s what he had to say about coaching the national team:

“One should never lose the dream, I haven’t lost it. But as the years go by, I’m more realistic. I’m more in the present than the future. Could it be a question of age? What do I know. When I was younger, I had more dreams. These days, I try to see what’s the closest thing which is the Peruvian national team and the closest objectives.

“After, we’ll see what my future holds. The Argentina national team… The idea situation has to present itself. That I’m not working, there has to be a number of things and the ideal situation has to be there for it.”

About coaching Argentina in 2018 while he wasn’t under contract:

“For me, it was the most ideal thing. My contract with the Peruvian federation was done and Jorge Sampaoli had left Argentina. It’s very difficult because there are always coaches that come through and they’re ambitious. At any time Simeone could decide that he wants to coach the national team. Or another person. For that reason I like to live in the present.”

La Liga, Premier League, Serie A to return in June

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Football in Europe is set to continue to restart as La Liga in Spain, Premier League in England and Serie A in Italy will all be restarting in June.

Lionel Messi, Lucas Ocampos and all the Argentines in Spain will be back in action in two weeks as La Liga restarts. The league will restart on June 11 as Sevilla host Real Betis.

Sergio Aguero and Nicolas Otamendi will restart in England as the Premier League will start on June 17 with Manchester City playing Arsenal.

As for Italy, Serie A will restart on June 20 but no matches have been announced.

 

 

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni talks about the right back choices

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Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni spoke about the team’s options at right back.

Lionel Scaloni has already tried a few players as right back for Argentina. At last year’s Copa America, Juan Foyth found himself playing a few matches in that position. Speaking in an interview with Fox Sports, here’s what Scaloni had to say:

“We have three players in that position. One of them is Foyth. We have Renzo Saravia, who for the first six months in Portugal, it was complicated for him and he didn’t play. Now, we hope he plays with Inter of Porto Alegre. The other is (Gonzalo) Montiel, that we couldn’t enjoy. But we did like him in the two or three matches where we had him. He’s an interesting player.”

Scaloni also spoke about Julio Buffarini:

“We saw him, we’ve been following him. He has an interesting way of playing. He’s like an SUV, he won’t go unnoticed. In Argentine football, he’s one of the players we’ve been following.”

He also mention how they need one for the upcoming years:

“What would have been good was to pick one player and see “he’s the right back”. I think that (Pablo) Zabaleta was the last one who played as a starter for a while. Gabriel Mercado in a few matches… He could be good in attack or in defending but we need a reliable player.

“France became world champions with Pavard as a right back and he was a center back. He’s a reliable player. What we are looking for and not just in that position are for players to play and to say “this is our central midfielder for the next five years or 20 matches.”