By Sergio Silva
01 Jul 2024, 20:56 PM EDT
The Argentine National Team returned to training this Monday after a day of rest after closing its participation in the group stage of the Copa America USA 2024 on Saturday with a victory over Peru (2-0) with uncertainty surrounding Lionel Messi’s physical condition.
The captain of the Albiceleste, who is suffering from a strong contracture in his right leg suffered in the victory against Chile (1-0), worked with the physiotherapists this Monday while doing physical exercises. According to reports in the Argentine press, the ’10’ is feeling less and less pain.
However, in this scenario, doubts remain about the presence of Lionel Messi in Argentina’s starting eleven to face the Ecuadorian national team on Friday in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Copa América in a match that will take place at NRG Stadium in Houston.
“We’re going to take it day by day with Leo. We noticed he’s better, he was with us in the locker room. We have to see how he feels and talk to the doctor.”, commented Walter Samuel, one of Lionel Scaloni’s technical assistants after the match against the Peruvians.
And that has not changed despite the progress Lionel Messi has been making in the last few hours. That is why there is still no certainty about the possibility of seeing the ’10’ from the start against the Ecuadorians, although Argentina is confident that the captain will play in the match prior to the semi-finals.
The current Copa América champions are the big favourites to repeat their success in this edition, where the national teams of Brazil and Uruguay hope to also fight to reach the final on July 14 at Hard Rock Stadium.
Already settled in Houston
After training on Monday, the Argentina national team began its trip to Houston to settle in and fine-tune the details ahead of Friday’s match against Ecuador in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Copa América in the United States.
The world champions will have several training sessions prior to the match against the southerners, but the last session will be decisive in determining Lionel Messi’s status with regard to his muscular problems and his possibility of playing.
The match against the Ecuadorians will also mark the return of Lionel Scaloni, who missed the match against the Peruvians as he is serving a one-match suspension due to the punishment imposed by Conmebol due to the two delays by the Albiceleste in returning from the break in their first two matches.
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