Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni spoke about the players, Lionel Messi and Alejandro Garnacho.
Lionel Scaloni spoke to the media following Argentina’s 2-0 win vs. Australia in Beijing on Thursday. Scaloni confirmed what was already reported which is that Lionel Messi will not travelling to Indonesia, but it’s not only Messi. Here is what Scaloni had to say:
“It was as if we were at home, they gave us too much love.
“This is a complicated FIFA fixture because of the calendar but we got through a difficult match. The conditions were not ideal, some players were on vacation, with up to 10 days off and deservedly so.
“And they have been competing, they played on Sunday. We knew it was going to be a difficult match but we managed to get through it.
“Not having Lautaro and with Julian coming back from celebrating, we decided to put Nico Gonzalez very open, trying to make him a nine at some point. Sometimes we were able to do it, sometimes we were not.
We didn’t have much time to try it because Nico also missed the plan on the last day and arrived later. But we pulled through a difficult game. Australia is a good team, a World Cup team. Their coach knows what he wants.”
Scaloni also spoke about Alejandro Garnacho and some of the players:
“We have to go step by step. We gave him the minutes to find his feet, we don’t have to rush.
“There are players of high level who did not play today but we are excited like the rest of the team. The idea is to give minutes to all the players so that they can start to adapt without forgetting those who are already in the team.
“We are excited with Garnacho and with all of the rest.”
In regards to the team:
“The way of playing is always similar and then we vary depending on the players we have. The most important thing is to see how these players compete in all the leagues.
“That no player can relax is obvious, it has to be the DNA of any football player. Even more so in a national team like Argentina and knowing that the guys behind them are pushing.
“The reality is that they have to compete. Mistakes can be made.”
About Lionel Messi, Ángel Di María and Nicolás Otamendi being rested against Indonesia:
“We believe it is fair. It’s my decision, they did not ask me to do it. It’s fair that they rest, that they go to their families. They deserve it more than anyone else.
“Logically, every one would like to go home but none of the others asked me, so it means that they are fine here. That’s good.”
He also spoke about the match against Indonesia:
“We plan to make all the changes and let the guys play because they deserve it and we need to keep adding people.
