Argentina’s head coach Lionel Scaloni spoke on Wednesday at a press conference ahead of Thursday’s World Cup qualifier against Chile in Santiago.
Scaloni surprised many by admitting that he is still unsure whether Lionel Messi is fully fit, and that the coaching staff is still evaluating whether he will start:
“We haven’t decided yet if he’ll start the match. It would be good to know how he’s doing physically. It’s clear that we’re in a position now where we can try other things. Initially, he’s ready to play — but we’ll assess. He had a good match last Saturday. For now, he’s available, and we’ll make a final decision soon.”
With several players suspended or injured, assembling the starting eleven hasn’t been easy. Scaloni commented on the situation:
“There will be a lot of absences, especially in the midfield. I haven’t confirmed the lineup yet because that will depend on training. But we’ll give a chance to players who haven’t had many minutes. It’s their moment to play.”
He also addressed the broader approach to the match:
“The result is always important, but right now we believe it’s not the most crucial thing. We’ll aim for the players to gel and have the chance to gain experience with the national team.”
On the absence of Alexis Mac Allister and Giovani Lo Celso, Scaloni explained:
“Alexis was on the list, but he’s been dealing with some lingering issues over the past year. We decided with him that it was best to rest. Fortunately, we’re not in a position where we need to take risks with players, so we agreed he should recover fully for what’s ahead. That’s why we called up Barrenechea and Buendía.”
“Lo Celso also arrived with an issue and likely won’t feature in either of the two matches. We need to focus on getting him back to full fitness.”
On Lautaro Martínez:
“I just saw Lautaro now. We spoke briefly, and I’ll talk more with him later. He’s here, he’ll travel with the team, but he won’t be playing. We had already agreed that he would take these days off — well deserved. He’s still part of the squad, that’s for sure.”
On Ángel Di María’s return to Rosario Central:
“It’s a joy to see him return to Argentine football. He’s a hero to so many people, not just fans of Rosario Central. Having a player of his caliber back is going to be something spectacular. It’s not only good for Argentine football but also for him — for his heart, his soul, to feel a bit more love. I’m very happy.”
Finally, on the potential Finalissima against Spain:
“I don’t know anything about it. We know this year is complicated. Next year? I don’t know — there’s the World Cup. We’ll see what decision the people who actually decide things make — because we don’t have much say. I don’t have any information.”
