Scaloni backed Messi, criticised drink breaks, «Austria will be tough» | OneFootball

Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni criticized the hydration break and said that Lionel Messi is fine for the match against Austria. He made the remarks this Sunday at Dallas Stadium, the venue where the Group J second-round clash of the 2026 World Cup will be played this Monday.

“The group pulls through both good and bad situations. Being next to a friend is always better. That’s how we all feel”, said the coach, and on the eve of La Pulga’s 39th birthday next June 24, he added: “We want him to be happy, that’s what we all want”.

He was also critical of the hydration break that splits each half: “The heat and the fact that the match keeps stopping constantly help the team that is theoretically weaker. I think in the end it was done to have more time, and it makes things a bit choppy. This idea of four periods seems unreal”.

On that point, he went into more detail about how he uses that time to speak with the players: “Everything I have in mind can change depending on what happens in those 22 minutes. We have people analyzing the match from the stands and us on the bench. What you would normally do at halftime, you do there. I think for a team that wants to attack it gives you time to make adjustments, but it feels strange to adapt to that, although if it continues I imagine it will become normal over time. Today, it still isn’t normal“.

Lastly, he again made it clear that there are no “easy” matches in the World Cup and, regarding the clash against Ralf Rangnick’s side, he concluded: “Austria are a difficult opponent, with very good players. They press well and had a great qualifying campaign. Without a doubt, it will be a tough match.”

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