Photo: JUAN MABROMATA/ / Getty Images
By: EFE
The Argentine national team worked this Tuesday at the sports venue of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) without the press seeing the captain in action, Lionel Messi, who was shown drinking mate with the president, Claudio Tapia, and the U-20 coach, Javier Mascherano.
In the only open work session that the albiceleste coach, Lionel Scaloni, will allow in this concentration with a view to the duel against Ecuadorthe journalists could only access the last 15 minutes of training, in which the Inter Miami striker was resting.
Messi arrived this Tuesday at the Ministro Pistarini International Airport, in Ezeiza (Buenos Aires province), very close to the AFA property where the ‘Scaloneta’ is concentrated and trained.
Messi and the goalkeeper Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martínez were the last to join the Albiceleste concentration with a view to the double duel to begin the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup against Ecuador, at home, and against Bolivia, as a visitor.
English Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez He commented to the press, after practice, that the Tri is “A physically strong team that has been working for some time and they are a great team”although he stressed that Argentina must do its job and show its best face to the local public.
The former River Plate soccer player said that “representing the national team is priceless”especially for doing so at the Más Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, where he played under Marcelo Gallardo before emigrating to Europe.
For his part, the Spanish Betis defender German Pezzella He valued the title achieved last December at the Qatar 2022 World Cup, but commented that “that is behind us” and you cannot “live off of that.”
“This shirt asks you to go out to win in every game, to achieve things. A new tie is coming, each match counts a lot. They are matches with a lot of weight”, indicated the soccer player from Bahía Blanca.
He also spoke to journalists Nicholas Gonzalezwho stressed that the team is “very eager” to debut in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and show the fans that they can “continue trusting” the team led by Scaloni.
Argentina begins this Thursday its defense of the world title achieved in Qatar 2022with the match against Ecuador, which will be played at 9:00 p.m. (00:00 GMT) on Thursday.
For this first duel, the Ecuadorian team, under the orders of the Spanish Félix Sánchezconcentrated directly in Buenos Aires, where this Monday he practiced at the San Lorenzo club facilities with the presence of journalists and on Tuesday he worked behind closed doors.
Keep reading:
· Louis Van Gaal attacked Lionel Messi and the organization of the Qatar 2022 World Cup by insinuating that it was arranged
· Cruz Azul seeks a “bomb” signing to revive in Liga MX
· Lionel Messi puts the fans of the Argentina team in tension