Despite the fact that the AFA have yet to name a new coach, the Argentina National Team will reportedly play a friendly match against Brazil later this year.
With two matches against Guatemala and Colombia confirmed for next month, the AFA have received an invitation from the Brazilian federation to play two friendly matches. Per a report by TyC Sports, one would involve the senior side while the other would be an U20 match.
The matches against Brazil will either be in October or in November.
Gonzalo HIGUAIN has left Serie A champions Juventus and joined AC Milan.
In a move which surprised many people, Gonzalo HIGUAIN found himself to be the odd man out after Cristiano RONALDO joined Juventus. Leonardo BONUCCI comes back to his old club Juventus with Gonzalo HIGUAIN and Mattia CALDARA going the other way. It’s a loan move for HIGUAIN until June of next year.
111 – Since his arrival in 2013, Gonzalo Higuain is @SerieA_TIM top scorer with 111 goals in 177 matches. The Argentine forward is the only one to have scored at least 15 goals in each of the last 5 League seasons. Killer. pic.twitter.com/UhHgnQB1ec
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) August 1, 2018
HIGUAIN now becomes the third Argentine with the club as he has joined Lucas BIGLIA and Mateo MUASCCHIO. This is now his third Serie A club. He first joined Napoli after having left Real Madrid. After that came a transfer to Juventus.
Now 30 years old, the striker managed 40 league goals in 73 matches with his old club. In a total of 105 matches, he found the back of the net 55 times. His trophy cabinet got full quickly as he lifted two Serie A titles and two Coppa Italia trophies in just as many seasons.
Matias ALMEYDA is being linked to coach the Costa Rican National Team.
Forget about the Argentina National Team, Matias ALMEYDA is distancing himself from that job and instead has his attention focused to that of Costa Rica. The former Argentina international and Chivas coach has confirmed interest in the job. Speaking with Teletica Deportes, here’s what he has to say
“I am very interested in the project, the money isn’t important nor the place. For me, it’s the players and Costa Rica have grown a lot on a football level. It is a country which has grown a lot on a football level and they have serious coaches. It’s a country which I like a lot as well as my family.”
Now 44, Matias ALMEYDA has coached three teams. River Plate, Banfield and Guadalajara (where he recently won the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League). Should he take over this one (or the rumored Mexico job), it would mean his first coaching position in charge of a national team.
Pablo AIMAR and Lionel SCALONI will coach the Argentina team in September.
The two retired Argentina internationals are presently in charge of the U20s but will manage the senior team for the friendly matches against Guatemala and Colombia. AIMAR and SCALONI are presently at work with the U20 team in Spain for the COTIF tournament.
Pablo Aimar y Lionel Scaloni dirigirán a la Selección Argentina en los amistosos del 8 de septiembre ante Guatemala, en Las Vegas, y del 11 frente a Colombia en New Jersey pic.twitter.com/FzH7E48mQO
— VarskySports (@VarskySports) August 1, 2018
This would appear to mean that the AFA is in no hurry to announce a permanent replacement to Jorge SAMPAOLI.
Adolfo GAICH was the hero for the Argentina U20 team in their 2-0 win against Murcia at the COTIF tournament.
Lionel SCALONI’s boys are 2-0 at the tournament and after having picked up a resounding 4-0 win against Venezuela in their opening match, GAICH scored a brace in against Murcia.
The opening goal came in the 23rd minute after Alvaro BARREAL sent in a cross into the penalty area and GAICH got his first goal of the night through a powerful header. Shortly after, the two connected once more as BARREAL played a short pass into the area and all GAICH had to do was tap it into the net.
Argentina top Group A as they play second place Mauritania on Friday and last place in the group India on Sunday. Group B has Russia, Uruguay, Morocco, Qatar and Valencia.
