Lionel Scaloni spoke at a press conference on Wednesday and commented on if Lionel Messi will be starting for Argentina while also discussing about Messi’s time off with Inter Miami.

Scaloni held a press conference before Argentina’s World Cup qualifying match against Paraguay on Thursday and one of the topics discussed was Lionel Messi. The Best player in the world is just returning from injury with Inter Miami and Scaloni was asked about Messi and if he will start against Paraguay. Here is what he had to say:

“We still have one more training session and one more is important for him. We see him well and we will talk to him before to decide if he will start the match or not. Based on that, the team can change but I have to talk it over with him and above all, that he is well, that we are convinced that he can play as a starter.

“He looked good. We will base the rest of the team on that.

“The decision first is to see how he feels. Second, we have another game in four days. He can play 80 minutes and against Peru, nothing. Or he can play 90 minutes in both matches and be fine. It is not that easy.

“If he is available, you know what I think about it. On the subject of minutes, it is important. What reassures us is that if he is not fit to start, whoever starts will do just as well, that’s the most important thing.

“Almost none of them had a strong pre-season, Leo in this case went and competed but the rest did friendlies in the United States. Sometimes you are fine and nothing happens but sometimes the calendar takes its toll. The players are feeling the calendar.”

He was also asked about Messi and Inter Miami not making the MLS playoffs and how that could play a role with the Argentina national team:

“As far as the national team is concerned, he will be moving around until the next FIFA date. It won’t affect us too much, he will be training and playing matches, it’s not a problem.

“I didn’t talk about what will happen after that, he will have his well-deserves vacation and will return to training with his team later on but it won’t affect the national team’s plans too much.”

Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni has already held two training sessions this week and there is already speculation of a starting eleven with Lionel Messi expected to start.

The World Cup champions will play Paraguay on Thursday and according to TyC Sports, we will not be getting too many changes from what the team normally looks like. With no Ángel Di María who has not been called up due to injury, Nicolás González is expected to start up front.

Lionel Messi is also set to start after returning from injury as he trained with the team normally on both days. Up front with Messi and González, it will be one of Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez.

Marcos Acuña missed the September matches due to injury but has returned and it will be between himself and Nicolás Tagliafico on the left with Nahuel Molina or Gonzalo Montiel starting on the right. Between them will be the regular pairing of Cristian Romero and Nicolás Otamendi.

It is expected that the midfield will be the same one which started against both Ecuador and Bolivia, that is Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernández. Here is the rumored starting eleven:

Emiliano Martínez; Nahuel Molina or Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, Nicolás Otamendi, Nicolás Tagliafico or Marcos Acuña; Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister; Lionel Messi, Julián Álvarez or Lautaro Martínez and Nicolás González.

Lionel Messi and several Argentina national team players have started to arrive for the team’s two World Cup qualifying matches.

Messi was photographed arriving to the Lionel Andrés Messi training complex on Monday morning, as was Julián Álvarez, Alexis Mac Allister, Emiliano Martínez and Gonzalo Montiel. Players began arriving to Argentina on Sunday to join the Argentina national team.

The World Cup champions will play two World Cup qualifying matches this month. The first is on Thursday, October 12 against Paraguay and the second on Tuesday, October 17 against Peru.

Argentina will be without Paulo Dybala and Juan Foyth, both of which are injured as are Ángel Di María, Lisandro Martínez and Gerónimo Rulli. Here are the players that have been called-up by coach Lionel Scaloni:

Goalkeepers:
Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa)
Franco Armani (River Plate)
Juan Musso (Atalanta)
Walter Benítez (PSV)

Defenders:
Gonzalo Montiel (Nottingham Forest)
Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid)
Germán Pezzella (Real Betis)
Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur)
Lucas Martínez Quarta (Fiorentina)
Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica)
Marco Pellegrino (AC Milan)
Marcos Acuña (Sevilla)
Nicolás Tagliafico (Lyon)
Lucas Esquivel (Athletico Paranaense)
Facundo Medina (RC Lens)

Midfielders:
Leandro Paredes (AS Roma)
Guido Rodríguez (Real Betis)
Enzo Fernández (Chelsea)
Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid)
Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen)
Carlos Alcaraz (Southampton)
Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham Hotspur)
Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool)
Thiago Almada (Atlanta United)
Bruno Zapelli (Athletico Paranaense)

Forwards:
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
Julián Álvarez (Manchester City)
Lautaro Martínez (Inter)
Facundo Farías (Inter Miami)
Lucas Beltrán (Fiorentina)
Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United)
Nicolás González (Fiorentina)
Lucas Ocampos (Sevilla)

The World Champions are in Argentina! 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/lj82vTkBQK

— Roy Nemer (@RoyNemer) October 9, 2023

Paulo Dybala is injured and is out of the Argentina national team for the October World Cup qualifiers.

Dybala was substituted out injured for AS Roma during their 4-1 win vs. Cagliari on Sunday. According to Sky Sport, Dybala has a sprained left knee.

The Argentina national team play Paraguay on October 12 and will play Peru on October 17, both being World Cup qualifying matches. Here is the Argentina national team for those two matches:

Goalkeepers:
Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa)
Franco Armani (River Plate)
Juan Musso (Atalanta)
Walter Benítez (PSV)

Defenders:
Gonzalo Montiel (Nottingham Forest)
Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid)
Germán Pezzella (Real Betis)
Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur)
Lucas Martínez Quarta (Fiorentina)
Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica)
Marco Pellegrino (AC Milan)
Marcos Acuña (Sevilla)
Nicolás Tagliafico (Lyon)
Lucas Esquivel (Athletico Paranaense)
Facundo Medina (RC Lens)

Midfielders:
Leandro Paredes (AS Roma)
Guido Rodríguez (Real Betis)
Enzo Fernández (Chelsea)
Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid)
Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen)
Carlos Alcaraz (Southampton)
Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham Hotspur)
Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool)
Thiago Almada (Atlanta United)
Bruno Zapelli (Athletico Paranaense)

Forwards:
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
Julián Álvarez (Manchester City)
Lautaro Martínez (Inter)
Facundo Farías (Inter Miami)
Lucas Beltrán (Fiorentina)
Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United)
Nicolás González (Fiorentina)
Lucas Ocampos (Sevilla)

Juan Foyth is out of the Argentina national team for the October World Cup qualifying matches.

Foyth will not be with the team for their matches against Paraguay and Peru this month. The official Argentina account announced that Foyth will mis sout due to injury.

Facundo Medina was called up to the Argentina national team on Saturday and will be replacing Foyth in the team.