Messi reported that they felt “dead” in the dressing room after the embarrassingly bitter 2-1 draw against outsiders Saudi Arabia. For the immortality in the hearts of his compatriots like Maradona, the big star’s 167th international match will be one of the most important: “It’s time to show how strong we really are,” he demanded – including himself.
In order to prepare for the match against Mexico, Messi and his colleagues did not spend hours in a dark theory room. On Wednesday, players were able to spend time with their families. Messi received his wife, children, brothers and parents. The day after, the Argentinian players released some photos from the various family reunions on the university campus.
Argentina under pressure
The Argentinians, who are traded as title candidates, already have their backs to the wall on Saturday. Lionel Messi and his team must not lose against Mexico to maintain chances of promotion to the round of 16.
mood still good
Also because Messi reacted calmly to Tuesday’s setback, the mood at the two-time world champion is still good. No negative criticism rained down on the players from home, instead supportive words came.
FIFA World Cup 2022, Group C
Saturday, 8 p.m., live on ORF1
Argentina – Mexico
Lusail, Lusail-Stadium, SR Orsato (ITA)
Possible lineups:
Argentina: E. Martinez – Tagliafico, Romero, Otamendi, Molina – Paredes, De Paul – Di Maria, Messi, Gomez – Lautaro Martinez
Mexico: Ochoa – Sanchez, Moreno, Montes, Gallardo – E. Alvarez, Herrera, Chavez – Lozano, Martin, Vega
Coach Lionel Scaloni led Argentina to their Copa America win a year and a half ago, their greatest triumph in almost three decades. The previous co-trainer initially took over the team in August 2018 only on an interim basis as a cheap emergency solution. Now the novice coach actually wants to bring the world champion from 1978 and 1986 to the World Cup final on December 18th.
Reunion with Martino
The fact that Gerardo Martino, a former Argentinian national coach, works as a coach for Mexico – one from Rosario like Messi, one under whom Messi already played at FC Barcelona, and one under whom Messi once announced his retirement from the “Albiceleste” – fuels them Explosiveness of the game two years and one day after Maradona’s death.
In 2010, however, Maradona, as a coach, was not able to lead the player Messi to world championship glory in South Africa. As in 2006, Argentina was eliminated by Germany in the quarter-finals. In 2014, Alejandro Sabella lost the final and Martino took over.
“Playing Against Title Contenders”
“We’re playing against one of the big contenders for the World Cup. This is the situation. They were unbeaten 36 games,” Martino recalled of the series up to the opening defeat of his compatriots against the Saudis. The now 60-year-old had been training for his home country for two years, resigning after losing the final of the 2016 Copa America, including a missed shot by Messi on penalties.
Messi declared his end in the national team after the defeat. The two had never been able to develop a special bond. The fact that both are from Rosario didn’t help either. Messi returned to Argentina’s national team after losing three finals after retiring in 2016, Martino took over the Mexican team in early 2019 and started the Qatar World Cup with a 0-0 defeat of Poland.
