NEW YORK –
After a few video games within the Copa América, Lionel Messi and Argentina are removed from the model of the workforce that was topped world champion in 2022.
Within the protection of its continental title, Lionel Scaloni’s workforce has proven an absence of finesse within the improvement of the sport. He additionally displays a deficit when it comes to depth on his full-backs. And there’s some concern in regards to the situation of Messi’s proper adductor
With qualification for the quarter-finals already assured, the Albiceleste have room to proceed getting in form for the decisive battles in the US.
The speedy mission is to safe first place in Group A, one thing that may very well be confirmed on Saturday once they face Peru in Miami, Messi’s adopted dwelling after his signing final 12 months on the metropolis’s MLS membership.
Peru has simply misplaced 1-0 in opposition to Canada to sink to the underside of the bracket, it misplaced defender Miguel Araujo resulting from an expulsion with a direct purple card and has doubts in regards to the presence of its captain Luis Advíncula resulting from Achilles tendon discomfort.
To sum it up, Argentina has a good state of affairs at hand to do two issues on the Laborious Rock Stadium: protect Messi and different starters, in addition to check variants that may very well be helpful within the direct elimination part.
If he doesn’t play on Saturday, the Argentine captain and quantity 10 may accumulate eight days of relaxation earlier than dealing with his quarterfinal opponent. That recreation might be on July 4 — Independence Day in the US — in Houston and Ecuador and Mexico seem on the horizon as opponents.
The Argentine squad in South Florida is awaiting the outcomes of the assessments that Messi underwent to find out whether or not his discomfort is a contracture or if he suffers from one thing extra critical.
The Inter Miami striker hinted at the potential of taking a break from the cup after the agonizing 1-0 victory over Chile final Tuesday in New Jersey. It was when he additionally revealed that he had suffered from a sore throat and fever in latest days.
“We’ve got to see how today go, how I get well,” he mentioned. “We took an necessary step in direction of being calm, certified, there are a lot of video games in a row, many journeys, we are going to begin to consider what’s coming.”
In his seventh Copa América, Messi is ready to debut his scoring tally. He has had unhealthy luck with pictures spit out of the woodwork or barely deflected, however he has participated in each motion that led to the three targets scored by Argentina, two by Lautaro Martínez and one by Julián Álvarez.
“He’s very energetic and really harmful… He’s doing very effectively,” highlighted Ricardo Gareca, the Argentine coach of Chile.
The Albiceleste has struggled to interrupt the compact blocks that Canada — by successful 2-0 within the opening match — and Chile set as much as defend themselves.
In midfield, Enzo Fernández was misplaced as he changed Leandro Paredes in opposition to Chile. Though he offered the help for the primary purpose in opposition to Canada, Alexis Mac Allister has been disconnected from the attacking space.
Extra alarming, full-backs Nahuel Molina, Marcos Acuña, Nicolás Tagliafico and Gonzalo Montiel don’t present depth.
To date, the robust factors have been offered by the responses of goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez when he has been challenged and the reliability of centre-backs Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martínez.
Midfielder Rodrigo De Paul identified the problem they’ve had to find area.
“We attempt to analyse our opponents, however we see that they modify in opposition to us,” mentioned De Paul. “They shut up loads, we’d like extra touches, we are able to’t play on the tempo we wish. I wasn’t sharp sufficient to provide one thing to the workforce.”
Scaloni, who superior a rotation of gamers, highlighted the angle to get the outcomes.
“Argentina, every time the sport will get robust, doesn’t again down,” he mentioned. “We’ve got that assured, as a result of we have now to consider in our soccer and preserve enjoying. The workforce has that inbuilt, it retains making an attempt.”
