After the Albiceleste’s big win in La Paz, the coach explained why he didn’t play with number 10 and how he counteracted the effects of the altitude.
Lionel Scaloni he did it again. The last three wins of the Argentina national team against Bolivia in La Paz, in the South American qualifiers, they bear his mark: in 2005 as a player and now, in both 2020 and 2023, as a coach. And this occasion was the most powerful in triumph, a crushing 3-0 that could have been even bigger without Lionel Messi in the team.
Before traveling from Ezeiza to the Bolivian capital, the coach had said that “Messi travels and, when he does, it is to play.” However, he was separated from the squad during Monday’s training and his absence was eventually confirmed hours before the start. “He wasn’t ready to play yet, yesterday he tried to recover and didn’t feel comfortable. That’s why we don’t risk it”, he explained, then argued that “it wasn’t necessary because there are important things coming up. Even entering it can be done incorrectly”.
And regarding the huge victory that was achieved, he made it clear that there is a formula for playing at a high level and that they are ‘players who play very well. This group plays very good football, it is all to their credit” he said, concluding that “height has its difficulties, but The virtue of the team is that they are not afraid and want to play the ball well”.
Source: Goal