“We know that the Cup is going to be complicated. We saw today, he puts in a lot, it was a good game to show how we are. We are in the good way”.
Angel Di Mariaauthor of the only goal in the victory of Argentina in view of Ecuador in Chicago, he put the right value into the friendly preparatory game for the world champion. Lionel Scaloni He had the pleasure of testing variants (Lionel Messi started on the bench), of seeing the physical condition of some footballers (such as the cases of Huevo Acuña and Enzo Fernández) and has one more test on the menu. On Friday, June 14, from 9 p.m., the Albiceleste will play in Washington against Guatemala in his last game before the United States Copa Americain which he will seek to defend the title he obtained at the Maracaná in 2021.
But first the DT will have to make an always difficult decision: it is that on Wednesday the 12th the deadline granted by Conmebol to deliver the final list of 26 names for the competition expires. Today he works with 29, that is, he will have to cut three. However, the counselor has an intermediate plan.
“We have to make the final list and we will do it based on what we believe is best for the National Team, it always hurts to leave guys out. For the list we are going to wait for the second game. It doesn’t make much sense to give it before, it’s a setback to give it before, we need them to come because there is another game, to be with us until the last,” he said in a conference. Consequently, from his words it is clear that on the 12th he will comply with the formal requirement before the Confederation, but will only make his determination publicly known after the comparison.
The physical situation will have a lot to do with it. In the match against Ecuador, they did not sit on the bench German Pezzella (he is recovering from a fracture and has been working differently), Nahuel Molina (recovers from a tear) and Guido Rodriguez (caught with the flu). Starting this Monday, the coaching staff will evaluate whether they will be fit and in rhythm for the competition. If so, the logical thing is that they are part of the squad (all three participated in the feat in Qatar). Otherwise, they will start carving Valentín Barco, Valentín Carboni and Leonardo Balerdithose who could be left out after the cut.
Already thinking about the tournament, Argentina is seeded in the Group A. On Thursday, June 20, he will play his first game in the Mercedes Stadiumthe home of Atlanta United in the MLS, in front of Canada, which won the playoff against Trinidad and Tobago, and has just tied against France. The road in the area will continue on Tuesday the 25th before Chili in one of the imposing venues of American sports such as the MetLife from New Jersey, venue of the final of the contest in 2016 that consecrated the trans-Andean team as two-time champions of America after winning on penalties. The last duel of the group stage for the National Team will be on Saturday the 29th against Peru in it Hard Rock Stadiumthe home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins.
How will the world champions’ schedule follow if they advance to the next round? For their future planning, it is already known that if they finish in first or second place in the group, Argentina will play on Thursday, July 4 or Friday, July 5 in Texas: it will be in the Arlington or Houston stadiums. If Messi and company’s team continues in the race and reaches the decisive stages, they already know their semifinal venue: they will play once again at the MetLife in New Jersey (July 9 or 10). Finally, the final of the Copa América will be played on the 14th in Miami. If they fall in the semifinals, the duel for third place will be the day before (Saturday the 13th) in Charlotte, an imposing stadium on the East coast.
