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Franco Armani continues to test positive for COVID, could miss Copa America for Argentina

Franco Armani has once more tested positive for COVID and could miss the Copa America for Argentina.

Armani, who is no longer contagious, has tested positive for COVID. Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni will, on Thursday, announce his squad for the Copa America. Should Armani continue to test positive, he could very well miss the tournament.

He has already missed both of Argentina’s World Cup qualifying matches this month, where he was replaced by Emiliano Martinez.

The goalkeeper would not be able to enter Brazil if he doesn’t test negative and if that would be the case, he could be one of the four goalkeepers cut from the team. He has been testing positive since the middle of May, which led to midfielder Enzo Perez famously replacing him for River Plate in a Copa Libertadores match.

While Argentina will be based in Argentina and not Brazil for the Copa, Scaloni would have the option of selecting Armani for the tournament and leaving him in Argentina. Once Armani tests positive, he would be able to travel with the team.

 

Cristian Romero suffers thigh strain, could miss Argentina Copa opener

Cristian Romero has suffered a thigh strain in his left leg after having been substituted off for Argentina vs. Colombia.

Romero was replaced in the second half of Argentina’s 2-2 World Cup qualifying draw vs. Colombia as tests were done on him on Wednesday. The Argentina Twitter account tweeted out that he suffers from a thigh strain.

This could be seen as good news as Romero is not injured. However, he might miss Argentina’s opening World Cup qualifying match vs. Chile on Monday.

Argentina land in Ezeiza, players expected to be dropped for Copa America

The Argentina national team have landed back in the country and are in Ezeiza.

Following the 2-2 draw vs. Colombia, the team flew back to Argentina where Wednesday will be seen as a day of rest. As we reported earlier, tests will be done on Cristian Romero while Emiliano Martinez has recovered from the knock from Tuesday’s match.

Lucas Alario is already out of the Copa America due to injury. At the moment, the others who are likely to be dropped from the Copa America squad are Jose Palomino, Emiliano Buendia and Nahuel Molina. This per ESPN. And in addition, one of the four goalkeepers in the team.

Franco Armani will not be with the team until he tests negative. He missed both of Argentina’s World Cup qualifying matches as his PCR tests were still positive. As mentioned, one of Armani, Emiliano Buendia, Agustin Marchesin and Juan Musso will likely be dropped from the final Copa squad on Thursday.

Argentina are going to have five training sessions prior to the start of the Copa America on Monday.

Tests to be done on Cristian Romero following injury with Argentina

Tests will be conducted on Cristian Romero on Monday to determine the severity of his injury.

Cristian Romero, who scored Argentina’s opening goal in their 2-2 draw vs. Colombia, was substituted off in the second half. A muscle injury saw the Serie A defender of the season replaced by German Pezzella.

Per a report by ESPN, tests will be done on Romero on Monday. In addition, should Romero not be fully fit, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni is expected to still call him up for the Copa America. The final squad is expected to be announced on Thursday.

Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni: “We deserved to win”

Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni spoke at a press conference following Argentina’s 2-2 draw vs. Colombia.

Scaloni commented on the team’s overall game and Juan Foyth’s error which proved to be decisive. Speaking to the press, here’s what Scaloni had to say:

“When you think it’s all done, no, it’s not. Sadly, we’re leaving with one point when we deserved all three. Argentina deserved to win. Up until the 94th minute, what we were doing was really good and the last play gave them a point; it wasn’t deserved.

“We deserved the three points. I have to congratulate the players because they played a good match in the heat, on a difficult pitch and against a good opponent.”

In regards to the Juan Foyth’s mistake which led to Colombia’s second goal:

“It’s individual errors, not defensive. The defensive play of the team was perfect up until that play. It was a specific error and nothing more.”

Argentina always dominated the play and did so in the six matches. Sometimes more vertical. We were always superior to our opponents, we deserved to win in all of them but being deserving doesn’t count.

“It’s the last play and it changes the entire match. The rest of the 94 minutes and a half were perfect.”

Lionel Scaloni also commented on putting the team together:

“We had a lot of difficulty putting the team together and the substitutes. There were players who surely weren’t going to finish the match because they had just came back from injury. Let’s hope now that they fully recover.”

The next game for Argentina is on Monday, June 14 vs. Chile in their opening match of the Copa America.

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