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Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni comments on Lionel Messi, his role with the team

Roy Nemer
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Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni commented on captain Lionel Messi and his role on the team.

Lionel Scaloni spoke in an interview with Ole regarding the Argentina national team but was also asked several questions regarding Lionel Messi. From how Messi is truly like, to his role on the team to how much of a say he has in the squad.

If you missed it, the first part of the interview can be found by clicking here. Regarding Lionel Messi, here is what Scaloni had to say:

“What I admire about him, beyond how he is as a player, is that those who really know him know how he is and how he thinks. Because he is someone who sells a lot, people create topics about him… Lots of things can be said but honestly, we talk with the coaching staff and at times it’s impressive how naturally he takes it all.

“You have to tip your hat off. Everything that he generated and generates, what he is and what he does, it’s not just because he’s a good player but because of how he is as a person. A question to you…

“How many years has he been at the highest level and how many accomplishments does he have? I don’t know. It’s impressive how he handles things well.

“He’s someone that when he gets home, the entire world wants a photo of him, he always has to have a good face on, to be available and 99% of the time, he is available. You have to value that.

“He is the first one that when you need a hand, he’s there. He always tries to do what the coach asks, in that sense, I have nothing to say. But on a human level, it’s where he has our support because that is where he makes the difference.”

In regards to Messi and how under Scaloni as coach, he is more of a captain than ever, his comments against CONMEBOL at the last Copa America:

“What happened is also because what happened in that semi final vs. Brazil will drive anyone crazy. That game will go down in history and will be recorded. It’s for that reason I said that if they really knew him, they would realize that he is really like that. It just happened that before, there were more experienced players with the role that he has now.

“This happens with steps. When he came to the national team for the first time, there were players with 10 years experience. The times go by and that makes you more of a leader.

“But I assure you that is the one that wants to win the most, the one who hurts the most when he loses, I have no doubt.”

On how Messi looks more comfortable in that role:

“It happens that you feel more and more important. Although we always say that from our point of view and the coaching staff’s perspective, what we want the most is for him to enjoy it, to play football and to be happy.

“And I think that is the radical question. Because when a career is done, be it him or anyone, they’ll be left with moments where they were happy and he made the fans enjoy, After that, only one wins.

“And the ARGENTINE’S know very well that at the end, only one wins the final. Today, football is very competitive and it’s difficult to win. I always said that to enjoy it and to enjoy every training.”

About taking the pressure off Messi:

“It’s not about relieving the pressure because these guys don’t have pressure. Yes, they have a dream of wanting to win with the Argentina national team and to enjoy being here. For us, it’s very important to reach that point, to enjoy the process.

“If you can’t enjoy where you are, you have surely lost something. You’re coming to do well, it’s logical to want to compete but to always try to have things go well, to win, with happiness… And to put aside what could be said or the people that don’t want things to go well for you.

“I believe that Leo, just like his other team mates that are here, they understand that message. And today they are here, they are training and they don’t think all day of if they’re going to play or not, if they don’t win what will happen…”

How his relationship is with Messi:

“We only talk when we really have to. We are never invasive with any player. If there is something that happens, like with this pandemic, we call them to check on them and their families, to know their situation. There, yes, we are close.

“And in Leo’s case a little more because he is the captain, to see how everything is, a trip but not much more than that. But this is something we have been doing with him for a long time:

“Leo has to feel like one more player of the Argentina national team and he shouldn’t decide how or when to travel, or when he has to be next to someone. That is fundamental. He only has to dedicate himself to playing football and that’s it.

Regarding the myth the great players with their coaches and how much of an influence they have on the team and if Leo has ever asked him about how a team should play:

“I, as a coach, speak with De Paul, with Paredes, with Messi, with Lo Celso, with Ocampos, with Nicolas Gonzalez, with Lautaro… I tell them we are going to play like this or like this. This doesn’t mean that a player can say… In Leo’s case it’s impossible.

“If there is one thing that I can say and I can say it openly, it’s that never, never has a player put themselves in the starting eleven. It’s crazy to say that. It’s unfeasible.

“I can say it calmly, in that sense, it is impossible. Every stupid thing that has been said, that it seems like someone would have to go out of their way to say it and if I have to come out myself to defend it, I am going to do it. Because it’s crazy, it’s something that doesn’t make sense.

“He is dedicated to play and to play with his team mates. He has a better understanding with one than with another but because on the pitch, not everyone understand the best in the world. That is normal.

“But now for him to say yes to this or no to that, it’s crazy and it doesn’t make sense.”

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni comments on Copa America, World Cup qualifiers

Roy Nemer
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Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni will look to lead his country to a first international trophy in over 25 years when the Copa America starts next month.

Lionel Scaloni has already managed the team at a Copa America where the country finished third and also has a formidable record in the South American World Cup qualifiers. Argentina will play Chile on June 3rd and Colombia on June 8, both World Cup qualifiers before the start of the Copa America.

The coach will try to manage everything as best as he can as it is unchartered territories. Scaloni spoke about the qualifiers and the Copa America in an interview with Ole. Here’s what he had to say:

“We try to make sure that everyone is in the best condition for these two matches and the Copa America. It’s still a complicated and rare thing to have a Copa America and two World Cup qualifiers, it has never happened before.

“We are surely one of the national teams that will compete until the end and that has to be enough. Football is so competitive, so difficult, one shot saved, one mistake from the referee and we know this very well and you’re eliminated.

“Even with VAR, which is supposed to bring some justice, you can get eliminated despite being infinitely superior to your opponent. If you are better than your rival and you’re eliminated, no one is going to say you deserved to win the Copa but that you got eliminated.

“There’s no merit in the end, only recognition to those who win. But today, promising is difficult and it would be lying to the people to promise them that we are going to win it. Yes, we are going to be a big team and we are going to fight until the end.”

The coach also spoke about Argentina being favorites and other national teams:

“For all the years where Argentina has not been able to win what everyone talks about, that Argentina are a favorite, the reality of it is the opposite. There are many top class national teams, more than ten, that can compete with anyone, that can defeat anyone.

“Today, you can win the World Cup while being ranked number 18. The important thing is the how, how to play, how you shine, how history ends. After that, everyone wants to win and be champion but in the end, only one will win.”

When asked about the 2019 Copa America and the controversial semi-final match vs. Brazil:

“At that Copa, we got eliminated and the people, not just the fans, the entire world knew that we lost but that we did not deserve to lose but it happened like that, Argentina were eliminated but it wasn’t a catastrophe.

“Yes, it left a bad taste in my mouth. Not only because Brazil beat us but also due to errors unrelated to a football match which were obvious, even if it was unintentional mistakes.

“But at the same time, it’s true that the Copa America did leave a good taste in our mouths and that now we have the chance to do even better and that is what we are going to try to do. To try and go even further because that’s what we want and that’s what we yearn for.”

Majority of Argentines think Argentina shouldn’t host Copa America, per survey

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In a survey carried out in Argentina by the consulting firm Poliarquía, 70% of Argentines who were asked said that “Argentina shouldn’t organize the Copa America in this context.” On the other hand, 20% expressed themselves in favor of hosting the tournament, while the remaining 10% didn’t know/want to answer.

The telephone survey included 1,274 people of legal age and inhabitants of large urban centers. It was done between Thursday and Friday, and it has a statistical error margin of 2.8%, for a confidence level of 95%.

Argentina is currently going through the second wave of Covid-19, suffering a record 41,080 infections last Thursday. In addition, the country reached 3,663,215 positive cases since the pandemic began, while registering 551 deaths in the last 24 hours, to exceed the 76,000 of total infected.

Regardless of the opinion of most Argentines to not want to organize the Copa America due to the health crisis in the country added to an increasingly deeper economic crisis, the Argentine government continues to have in mind that the tournament, which starts on June 13, be held in the country.

Rumored Argentina eleven vs. Chile, Emiliano Martinez, Franco Armani

Roy Nemer
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25

Argentina host Chile on June 3rd in a World Cup qualifier and there’s already a rumored starting eleven that is circulating.

Some rumors have started to emerge in the media in regards to which eleven Lionel Scaloni will be fielding. The coach already has most of his players available, with only Sergio Aguero and Juan Foyth who have yet to join the group.

Based off of individual and group training sessions, TyC have mentioned the following XI as being rumored:

Armani, Montiel/Foyth, Martinez Quarta, Pezzella, Tagliafico; De Paul, Paredes, Lo Celso, Di Maria; Messi, Lautaro Martinez

It would be a similar line-up to what we have been seeing recently from Scaloni, more specifically the midfield. Angel Di Maria looks to have played his way back into the starting line-up.

The big news, or one that is often the talked about is Franco Armani. Per ESPN, Scaloni might give the chance to both Franco Armani and Emiliano Martinez to start a World Cup qualifier. Armani could start vs. Chile with Martinez playing against Colombia or the other way around.

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Geronimo Rulli wants Argentina call, talks Foyth, Riquelme, Europa League

Roy Nemer
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28

Geronimo Rulli has stated once more that he wants to be called-up to the Argentina national team while also giving his thoughts on Juan Foyth, Juan Roman Riquelme and winning the Europa League with Villarreal.

One of the, if not the hero of Villarreal’s Europa League final win vs. Manchester United, Rulli has his eyes set on the Argentina national team. He has represented Argentina before but he has never been a regular on the team. With the World Cup qualifiers and Copa America beginning next month, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has not selected the goalkeeper for the matches. Speaking in an interview with TyC Sports, Rulli had this to say”

“I always prioritized the national team. At other times in my career, it hurt me a lot not being there, it made me much worse. I understand that these are not just decisions that happen to me but for other people.

“Today I can say that I was the goalkeeper with the most unbeaten matches in the Europa League, I am a champion and I’ll stick to it. If that is not enough to get called-up… I don’t know what will be.

“The national team is always my objective but today I’m neither sad nor angry for not being there but I’m rather happy with my form.”

Regarding winning the Europa League with Villareal:

“The first trophy in the history of the club, a city with a population of 50,000. It was beautiful, a unique moment and I’m very happy for having been part of it. I’m still not aware of what I did, what we did. Not even in my wildest dreams would I have imagined this.”

He also spoke about the penalty shootout in the final:

“The only one who I didn’t see videos of was De Gea because he had never taken one. On top of that, I was angry when it was my turn to kick because I had gotten a touch on four of five of them before but was unable to save a single one of them.

“When I saved the penalty, that moment, I got on my knees and looked at the crowd and when I turned around, it was aa group of monkeys that came for me, it was incredible.”

Rulli also spoke about Villarreal icon Juan Roman Riquelme:

“It’s a match that will never be forgotten here. Just like Riquelme’s penalty vs. Arsenal, now, there is the penalty that I saved the other day.

“Saying Riquelme here, in this city, they’re big words. He’s one of the biggest idols at the club. Every time you talk about Roman, it’s sacred words for them.”

And finally, Rulli commented on Villarreal and Argentina team mate Juan Foyth:

“Maybe we aren’t aware of how good of a player he is because we see him very little. Because at Tottenham he didn’t have a lot of playing time or because with the national team he plays sporadically.

“But I see him in training every day, he’s an animal. He’s the player that has surprised me the most when I got here, the coach, the president and even my team mates. The truth is that Juancito won his place and the respect of everyone here.”

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