Khaberni - Argentina's coach, Lionel Scaloni, revealed the reason behind star Lionel Messi's absence from the friendly match against Venezuela, which took place on Saturday and ended with Argentina winning 1-0 as part of the preparations for the 2026 World Cup finals.
Scaloni said in the press conference after the match: "I decided not to include Messi because I wanted to test the duo Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez in the attack line. We also had Jose Lopez on the bench, which was a logical option but he did not participate in the end."
Scaloni clarified that the decision was purely technical and not related to any injury or special circumstances, adding: "This is my decision as a coach, and there are no complications in the matter."
Regarding Messi's status for the upcoming match against Puerto Rico, Scaloni explained: "We hope Messi will be ready to participate on Tuesday. We will monitor his condition and make the appropriate decision based on developments in the coming days."
Some reports linked Messi's absence from the Venezuela match to his desire to focus on his team Inter Miami's encounter against Atlanta United in the MLS, which takes place early Sunday morning.
Giovani Lo Celso scored the only goal of the match in the 31st minute, in a game that gave the coach a chance to test several young elements and trial some tactical plans.
The Argentine national team is preparing to face the Puerto Rico national team in a friendly early next Tuesday at Chase Stadium in Miami.
