Without Messi, the unprecedented team that Scaloni can put together with Peru :: Olé

Lionel Scaloni landed in Miami with the relief that means that Argentina has qualified for the quarterfinals one date earlier. But also with what it means to enjoy an environment of seven degrees less temperature than in New Jersey: from the average 34° that the delegation suffered until yesterday, it went down to 27 and some isolated showers as the most populous city in the state of Florida welcomed the national team.

Drops of happiness for a team that is already stepping into the eliminatory match that it will have to face on Tuesday, July 4 -as long as it comes out first-, although without skipping the one the day after tomorrow. But the Miami Division is already clear, because the coach announced it to them as soon as the passage to the next phase was confirmed, that against Peru “other guys” will take the field.

With most of the starters or main replacement options enjoying a well-deserved rest at the Hard Rock Stadium, then, Saturday’s challenge will represent an unbeatable opportunity for several of the players who until now have accumulated fewer minutes or did not have action at all: Montiel (19′), Martínez Quarta (0) or Pezzella (0), Otamendi (13), Acuña (102), Exequiel Palacio (0), Paredes (77), Enzo Fernández (64), Di María (85), Lautaro (31) and Garnacho (0) or Carboni (0).

Up to this point, Scaloni has used 18 of the 26 players on the list. Of them, six spent 100% of the minutes on the court (Dibu Martínez, Cuti Romero, Lisandro Martínez, De Paul, Mac Allister and Messi) and three others exceeded 100: Molina (172), Julián Álvarez (149) and Acuña already mentioned. And even if the extra large replacement that the DT anticipated occurs, there will still be some waiting for their chances: Guido Rodríguez and, depending on whether he keeps Dibu in the goal, also Franco Armani and Gerónimo Rulli. Because Nicolás Tagliafico (84), Nico González (73) and Gio Lo Celso (48) already knew what it is like to suffer the state of the playing fields in this country.

The latter is also one of those who received a yellow card, like De Paul and Licha Martínez. Therefore, it is difficult for the coach to risk them in a match that will in no way be underestimated (in fact, he cannot do so because with a defeat he runs the risk of being second in the group) although he will take it as a very interesting test bed for the Miami Division.

Although it is premature and the coach has not yet stopped a formation, the probable formation of the National Team, on Saturday against Peru would be: Draw Martínez; Gonzalo Montiel, Germán Pezzella, Nicolás Otamendi and Marcos Acuña; Exequiel Palacios, Leandro Paredes, Enzo Fernández; Ángel Di María, Lautaro Martínez and Alejandro Garnacho or Valentín Carboni.

The Argentine National Team arrived in Miami at dusk. And directly from the airport, the group went to Barry University to carry out regenerative training for those who played and a little more intense for those who did not have minutes and will surely be starters on Saturday.