Photo: Collected
Argentina are set to take the field for the first time since the 2026 Fifa World Cup. The Albiceleste will not have Lionel Messi for the match against Bolivia on Thursday. How the attack will be set up without Messi is the biggest talking point before the match.
Argentina have three friendlies ahead of them in this Fifa window. The opponents in the first are Bolivia, followed by games against Burkina Faso on 3 October and Benin on 6 October. Of these, the match against Benin at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires will be Messi’s farewell match.
Scaloni has not yet formally confirmed the XI against Bolivia, but he has started planning. Argentine media outlet TyC Sports has given an idea of what the XI could look like in Messi’s absence.
According to their report, Agustin Giay, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez and Facundo Medina may be in defence in front of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. Exequiel Palacios and Alexis Mac Allister in midfield, and Valentin Barco, Nicolas Paz, Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez in attack.
With Messi absent, Scaloni is planning to play Lautaro and Alvarez together in attack. When Messi is in the team, this pair did not regularly get a chance in the starting XI together; this time the Argentina coach is getting the opportunity to test that combination.
Argentina trained on Monday afternoon ahead of the Bolivia match. The players began training at the Ezeiza complex, which is named after Lionel Messi. Before the start, Scaloni spoke with Argentine Football Association President Claudio Tapia on the pitch.
In training, the players were first divided into two groups. A few from the main team took part in comparatively light training; this group had Enzo Fernandez, Lisandro Martinez, Cristian Romero, Julian Alvarez and Exequiel Palacios.
This session ran along the lines of the custom that players like Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and Nicolas Otamendi have of regularly playing light football. Players who have not fully recovered from injury or are in rehabilitation had to stay in the gym. Nicolas Tagliafico and Thiago Almada spent time on stationary bikes.
Tomas Palacios and Lionel Flores, who played matches in club football at the weekend, also joined the national team on Monday. Although Palacios had trained with the national team earlier, he was released to play for Estudiantes in the International Super Cup. Flores had played for Boca Juniors in the match against Racing Club that secured a Copa Argentina semi-final spot.
Scaloni will speak at a press conference at 11:15pm Bangladesh time today ahead of the Bolivia match.
