Argentina will be without a few players due to COVID for their World Cup qualifying matches against Chile and Colombia.

Lionel Scaloni will not be the coach for Argentina against Chile as he has tested positive for COVID. Instead, it’s Walter Samuel who will manage the team. Pablo Aimar, who is also part of the coaching staff, also tested positive for COVID and did not travel for the match.

Emiliano Buendia and Alexis Mac Allister both didn’t travel with the team. Mac Allister tested positive for COVID while Emiliano Buendia is in isolation after being in close contact with someone that tested positive. Guido Rodriguez of Real Betis also tested positive and did not travel at all. Joaquin Correa, who was selected for the two matches against Chile and Colombia is injured.

Nehuén Pérez of Udinese and Maxi Meza of Monterrey have both been called up to the Argentina national team due to the situations. Germán Pezzella is suspended for the match against Chile while Lucas Martínez Quarta is recovering from COVID and is not expected to start.

Lionel Messi and Cristian Romero were both not selected by Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni for the two World Cup qualifying matches. Here are the names for the matches:

Goalkeepers:
Franco Armani (River Plate)
Esteban Andrada (Monterrey)
Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
Juan Musso (Atalanta)

Defenders:
Nahuel Molina (Udinese)
Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla)
Lucas Martinez Quarta (Fiorentina)
Germán Pezzella (Real Betis)
Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica)
Lisandro Martinez (Ajax)
Nicolas Tagliafico (Ajax)
Marcos Acuna (Sevilla)
Nehuén Pérez (Udinese)

Midfielders:
Nicolas Gonzalez (Fiorentina)
Lucas Ocampos (Sevilla)
Leandro Paredes (PSG)
Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis) – Out due to COVID
Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid)
Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham Hotspur)
Alejandro Gomez (Sevilla)
Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton) – Out due to COVID
Emiliano Buendia (Aston Villa) – Out due to COVID close contact

Forwards:
Angel Di Maria (PSG)
Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid)
Julian Alvarez (River Plate)
Lautaro Martinez (Inter)
Joaquin Correa (Inter) – Out injured
Paulo Dybala (Juventus)
Maxi Meza (Monterrey)

Alejandro Papu Gomez is set to start in place of Gio Lo Celso.

Papu Gomez could be in the starting eleven as Gio Lo Celso would start on the bench. According to Mariano Antico, Papu Gomez is going to start in midfield alongside Rodrigo De Paul and Leandro Paredes.

Lo Celso has been a regular for Argentina but he hasn’t started for Tottenham in several matches.

Paulo Dybala and Lisandro Martinez are both set to start for Argentina in their World Cup qualifying match against Chile on Thursday.

The two are expected to start the match against Chile as Lionel Messi and Cristian Romero were not selected for the two qualifying matches. When Lionel Messi did not start in the 1-0 win vs. Uruguay in November, it was Paulo Dybala who started that match and got the assist on Angel Di María’s goal.

Lisandro Martínez will be in the starting eleven, his first start for Argentina since the Copa America match against Bolivia. Here is the expected Argentina eleven:

Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez; Molina or Montiel, Otamendi, Lisandro Martínez, Acuña; De Paul, Paredes, Lo Celso; Dybala, Lautaro, Di María

Emiliano Buendía of Aston Villa is in isolation and will miss Argentina’s World Cup qualifiying match.

Buendía will not travel with the Argentina national team to Chile for their World Cup qualifier. While he did not test positive, Buendía was in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID and is in isolation.

Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni stated during his press conference on Wednesday that he himself has tested positive for COVID despite recovering. He also mentioned that Alexis Mac Allister of Brighton has tested positive and will not travel.