FootballLionel Messi is ready to make his contribution again in Argentina’s World Cup qualifying campaign. According to national coach Lionel Scaloni, the star player of Paris Saint-Germain has recovered from injuries to knee and thigh. Messi has endured some individual training sessions well and can therefore start on Friday in the basic team in the away game against Uruguay.
“Leo wants to play and I want him to play too,” said Scaloni. “We trust that his physical condition is good.” The 34-year-old Messi missed the last two matches of Paris SG due to his physical discomfort. However, Scaloni included him unreservedly in his squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil.
That led to some annoyance with PSG director Leonardo. Among other things, he believed that Messi had been a bit too committed to the national team lately and may have been a little overworked and injured as a result. However, according to Scaloni, there is no conflict with the French club management.
“We have stayed within the rules,” the Argentina national coach emphasized. “It is true that Messi has spent a relatively large amount of time with the national team in recent months. I therefore understand Leonardo’s reaction. But PSG is not the only club that has to deal with this problem, it is a difficult issue for all European top clubs.”
Leader Brazil (31 points) and number 2 Argentina (25 points) are still unbeaten after eleven group matches. Both countries have one of four available World Cup tickets up for grabs. The number 5 of the South American group stage can still qualify for the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 via a play-off.
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