Aritz López Garai to lead Mauritania against Messi at La Bombonera | OneFootball

Argentina will not face Spain in the Finalissima after no alternate venue was found, and will instead play Mauritania on Friday at La Bombonera. The African side are led by Basauri-born Aritz López Garai, an Athletic academy product.

The Basauri-born former midfielder joined Lezama in 1998. 'We were in the pandemic, a complicated time of uncertainty. I did not know whether to wait for another project, then Luis Fuertes, Mauritania’s technical director, called me. That is where the adventure began,' he told El Correo.

In 2023 he took over Nouadhibou, winning the league and cup and guiding the first Mauritanian club into the Champions League group stage.

That breakthrough took him into the national set-up, a short spell with the under-20s followed by the senior job. Mauritania sit 114th in FIFA’s ranking and the squad’s market value is just over 20 million.

Monday marked a year since his debut. 'We beat Togo in World Cup qualifying and were close to the Africa Cup of Nations knockouts, but there is still work to do in resources and facilities.' He lives in Larrabetzu, travels in international windows, and works from a list of about 40 players, most of them in Europe.

Before the next Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers he will step out at Boca’s stadium. 'The opponent and the venue are unbeatable, we have to be up to it.' Messi is included, and López Garai faced him while at Córdoba. 'He keeps showing he is the best in history.'

Source: El Correo