Argentina train with Messi: questions remain ahead of Venezuela clash | OneFootball

The Argentina National Team held an open training session for the press at the Lionel Messi Complex of the AFA in Ezeiza, their second-to-last practice before the match against Venezuela this Thursday at the Monumental.

With an eye on La Vinotinto, the absence of Alexis Mac Allister—who was unable to arrive in the country—and Nicolás Otamendi, who worked out in the gym, stood out.

The squad led by Lionel Scaloni had its first practice with almost the entire team present, due to the travel issues faced by the Liverpool midfielder. Mac Allister, in particular, had recently suffered a muscle strain, and the fact that he would arrive with only one training session makes him a doubt for Thursday’s starting eleven, although he is expected to be available from the start if Scaloni decides so.

With Enzo Fernández suspended and also unavailable against Ecuador, Scaloni’s plan is to set up a four-man midfield. With De Paul, Paredes, and Almada, the final spot is between Mac Allister and Lo Celso.

Nicolás Otamendi was not present with the rest of his teammates during the training session, as he worked out in the gym to be in the best possible shape. The defender is a fixture alongside Cristian Romero in the central defense for these matches and, barring any setbacks, will be a starter.

The attack will feature Lionel Messi alongside either Julián Álvarez or Lautaro Martínez, with the advantage currently leaning toward the "Spider" (Álvarez), although it will depend on what happens in the final practice on Wednesday. Among the players eligible for the U-20 World Cup, only Claudio Echeverri trained with the youth squad, while Franco Mastantuono and Julio Soler practiced with the senior team.

Thus, the probable Argentina lineup to face Venezuela would be: Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian “Cuti” Romero, Nicolás Otamendi, Nicolás Tagliafico; Rodrigo De Paul, Leandro Paredes, Alexis Mac Allister or Giovani Lo Celso, Thiago Almada; Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez or Lautaro Martínez.

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