Scaloni didn’t hide his hand: «Paredes will play» | OneFootball

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Scaloni didn’t hide his hand: «Paredes will play» | OneFootball

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·6 July 2026

Scaloni didn’t hide his hand: «Paredes will play»

Article image:Scaloni didn’t hide his hand: «Paredes will play»

Lionel Scaloni gave his usual press conference ahead of the World Cup round of 16 and left several important takeaways ahead of the match against Egypt. He confirmed Leandro Paredes' return to the starting lineup, said that Messi is fine despite having played 120 minutes against Cape Verde, and stressed that the African side will be a much more complex opponent than many imagine.

He also explained why he used Alexis Mac Allister as a defensive midfielder, showed concern over the short rest between matches, analyzed the surprises this World Cup has produced (including Brazil’s elimination), and said that Argentina needs to control matches more with the ball again in order to avoid suffering in opponents’ transitions.

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Scaloni’s most important quotes

Article image:Scaloni didn’t hide his hand: «Paredes will play»
  • “Leandro Paredes is available and he’s going to play.”
  • “Leo Messi is fine. He played 120 minutes and, if anything is wrong, he didn’t tell me. He’s going to play anyway.”
  • “Egypt are a very good team, with a very clear playing identity. They’ll be a tough opponent.”
  • “We have to defend ourselves with the ball and not try to reach the goal in two passes.”
  • “When we can’t play well, this team has grit, intensity, and character to compete.”
  • “The favorites aren’t showing the level that was expected before the World Cup either.”
  • “Brazil went out because they faced a great opponent. We’re alert because Egypt are too.”
  • “The schedule doesn’t help: the further you go, the more rest you should have, and the opposite is happening.”
  • “Alexis played as the No. 5 because Paredes arrived at the World Cup injured.”
  • “We’re not going to change the system from the start, although we can modify it during the match.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

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