Juan Román Riquelme spoke about the Argentina national team’s chances at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, Lionel Messi and Argentina playing at Boca’s La Bombonera stadium.

Román Riquelme and Lionel Messi were team mates for several years with the Argentina national team. They were both part of the 2006 World Cup team, part of the 2007 Copa America and won gold together at the 2008 Olympics. Now, Riquelme has since retired and is vice president of Boca Juniors.

Riquelme commented on Argentina’s chances at the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Speaking in an interview with TyC Sports, here is what he had to say:

“As long as Messi is there, we are candidates. We have the best player of all. I have no doubt that it will be a great World Cup. For Argentina to be close to be crowned champions, he has to be good. You always have to have faith in Messi.”

In regards to Lionel Messi:

“Messi is not the same one from 10 years ago. He is a genius who reinvented himself with time. Now, he plays like a number 10, who does the pass for the goal. He started by accelerating and was faster with the ball than without it. He didn’t shoot free kicks, now he shoots them better than anyone. He is a genius, he is unique. I love him a lot.”

Regarding the Argentina national team playing against Venezuela at La Bombonera stadium:

“It’s wonderful. The best player in the world is going to play on our pitch. It’s a pleasure. When they asked us, we said that for us it was a luxury. We were very grateful. Seeing Messi at the Bombonera is going to be wonderful, we are going to enjoy it a lot. Hopefully he enjoys playing at our house.”

Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United spoke about being called up to the Argentina national team.

Garnacho has duel Argentine and Spanish citizenship but Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni has called up the 17 year old to the team. He is presently with the Manchester United youth team and has helped the team qualify for the youth FA Cup, scoring five goals in five games.

However, he has yet to make his Manchester United debut but has already trained with Argentina. Speaking with club media, as cited by the Manchester Evening News, here is what Garnacho had to say:

“I have duel nationality, so this is a unique opportunity for me. I’m looking forward to the moment and make the most of it. I was born in Madrid, but my mother is Argentine, as is her entire family, and it will be an honour to be able to represent Argentina.

“Justin [Cochrane] and Darren Fletcher are two members of the club who are always very attentive to me, supporting me in all kinds of decisions. And outside the club is Javier Mascherano, who is Argentina’s Under-20 coach. Since they were interested in me two or three months ago, they have always been very attentive, worrying about me. He is very attentive, and I am very grateful.

“I have always dreamed of sharing a team with stars of this level, and of learning a lot from them.

“It is a dream to be able to share a team with some of the idols of my childhood, so I am going to take advantage of it to improve [as a footballer]. Likewise, I am always very motivated, because I am doing what I like, which is playing football.”

Argentina play Venezuela on March 25 and on March 29 against Ecuador.

Lionel Messi, Ángel Di María and Leandro Paredes have landed in Argentina as they will train on Tuesday.

Messi is still recovering from his flu but will be training with the rest of the team. Leandro Paredes has no fitness issues but Di María does have a knock. According to Gaston Edul, Messi is expected to play against Venezuela on Friday but it will be difficult for Di María to play against Venezuela.

The rest of the Argentina national team players trained on Monday with youngsters Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United and Matías Soulé of Juventus posting pictures.

Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United and Matías Soulé of Juventus posted pictures of themselves with the Argentina national team.

Garnacho is one of the 17 year old players who has been called up to the Argentina national team by coach Lionel Scaloni. The Argentine posted about it on his Instagram page.

Matías Soulé of Juventus is another one of the young players called to the team. He had previously been called up for the more recent World Cup qualifying matches. He also posted about it on his Instagram.

Argentina play two World Cup qualifying matches. The first match on March 25 against Venezuela with the second on March 29 against Ecuador.

Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United posted the following of himself with Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni on his Instagram: “Hello Argentina 🖐 Happy to be here @Argentina 😁🇦🇷”. pic.twitter.com/8ojyJ5UT6J

— Roy Nemer (@RoyNemer) March 21, 2022

Matías Soulé of Juventus training with Argentina. pic.twitter.com/ZbbZoQZ0Tz

— Roy Nemer (@RoyNemer) March 21, 2022

Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni will have several players available but a few unavailable for the March World Cup qualifiers.

Lionel Scaloni announced his list of players last week for the matches against Venezuela and Ecuador. However, of those players, many are unavailable due to injuries, suspensions or illnesses.

But of those players called, four more are also travelling with the team. As we reported, Emiliano “Dibu” Martinez and Emiliano Buendia of Aston Villa, Cristian “Cuti” Romero of Tottenham Hotspur and Gio Lo Celso of Villarreal are all going to be with the team for the two matches. The four players are suspended for two matches due to breaking Brazilian COVID protocols.

The only player suspended for the match against Venezuela, outside of the four mentioned above, is Gonzalo Montiel. He received a yellow card in Argentina’s last match against Colombia.

Here are the names of the players which have been called up by coach Lionel Scaloni and their status:

Goalkeepers:
Franco Armani (River Plate)
Juan Musso (Atalanta)
Geronimo Rulli (Villarreal)

Defenders:
Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla) – Suspended vs. Venezuela
Juan Foyth (Villarreal)
Nahuel Molina (Udinese)
Germán Pezzella (Real Betis)
Lucas Martínez Quarta (Fiorentina)
Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica)
Lisandro Martínez (Ajax) – Injured, not travelling with the team
Nicolás Tagliafico (Ajax)

Midfielders:
Franco Carboni (Inter)
Leandro Paredes (Paris Saint-Germain)
Guido Rodríguez (Real Betis)
Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid)
Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen)
Luka Romero (Lazio)
Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton)
Valentin Carboni (Inter)
Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United)
Nicolás Paz (Real Madrid)
Tiago Geralnik (Villarreal)
Manuel Lanzini (West Ham United)

Forwards:
Ángel Correa (Atletico Madrid)
Matias Soulé (Juventus)
Lucas Ocampos (Sevilla)
Ángel Di Maria (Paris Saint-Germain) – Injured, expected to miss match vs. Venezuela
Nicolás González (Fiorentina)
Joaquin Correa (Inter)
Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain)
Lucas Boyé (Elche)
Lautaro Martínez (Inter) – COVID, will miss match vs. Venezuela
Julián Álvarez (River Plate)

Will still travel with the team:
Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez (Aston Villa)
Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa)
Cristian “Cuti” Romero (Tottenham Hotspur)
Gio Lo Celso (Villarreal)

Marcos Acuña and Alejandro Papu Gómez are also injured and will miss the two matches.