Martino’s Denial: Response to Accusation of Selling Argentina-Mexico Match

Martino’s response to the accusation of selling the match between Argentina and Mexico

In full preparation for tomorrow’s match against New York Red Bulls, in which Inter Miami will defend the top of the MLS Eastern Conference that it shares with Columbus Crew, Gerardo Martino gave a press conference in which he referred to the present of the Garzas, but he was also consulted about a specific issue that came up in recent days: the match he directed as coach of Mexico against Argentina in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

In dialogue with the Mexican soccer player Edson Álvarez, one of those summoned by Tata for that World Cup, the journalist Jorge “Burro” Van Rankin attacked the Argentine strategist and accused him of having sold that match against the Albiceleste that ended 2- 0 for the goals of Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernández: “I do dare to say that there is something. You don’t say it, I say it. It’s a fucking Tata mystery that that party sold him. Don’t let him come to me with anything. Why didn’t he show off his fucking striker who is there? Why didn’t he start him? Because he was going to burn it, to expose it. Yes, Funes Mori, I’m referring to you, dad. That’s why he didn’t put you in. They knew that Argentina would be upset if this man had played too. The story will remain there and he will know in his little head if what he did is the right thing.”

It is worth mentioning that that meeting between Argentines and Mexicans took place within the framework of a close duel until Messi took an impossible shot with which he beat Memo Ochoa. Although it did not create danger, Mexico remained in the game until near the end Enzo Fernández scored another great goal and positioned Argentina in the zone. In addition, those led by Martino had tied without goals against Poland and later beat Saudi Arabia, being eliminated in the first round only by one goal difference with the Poles.

Tata Martino during the close match between Argentina and Mexico in the 2022 World Cup that only Messi could open (OBLIGATED CREDIT USA TODAY/Yukihito Taguchi)

At the same time, Hirving Chucky Lozano also pointed out Martino and recalled his time with the tricolor team: “I think there was never a good connection with him, his coaching staff and the players, so much so that they treated us like children.” little ones, as if we were soldiers, and managing the group like that I think was a very big mistake. For me, there was one decision on his part that was not correct; Based on my experience and my opinion, the World Cup was the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

When a journalist mentioned the statements of the Mexican journalist and Chucky Lozano, Martino only shook his head in denial and responded: “No comment.”

In the interview with the Mexican journalist, Edson Álvarez also said about Tata: “If I have learned anything in this life, it is to be grateful. That does not mean that I am grateful to Tata, because it gave me the opportunity to play in my second World Cup. I mean, what I’m going for is that I’m grateful. At one point I had a great relationship. But a great relationship, a great relationship. He came with me, we chatted, we shared ideas. He is a person who really likes to talk about football and was very interested in the Ajax system. “We shared many things.”

But he closed: “When the World Cup arrived, obviously I didn’t feel like an undisputed starter, but I felt like I had a good chance of playing. Until the game with Poland everything was going well with him, the relationship, as always. The Argentina game arrives and pretend that I was a stranger to him, someone strange, as if he had never seen me play.”

2024-03-22 15:59:00
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