Scaloni alarm over injuries: «If anyone isn’t fit, they’ll miss out» | OneFootball

Lionel Scaloni analyzed the current situation of the Argentina national team ahead of the friendly against Honduras, urging calm over Lionel Messi’s recovery and warning that next week will be decisive in finalizing the squad for the 2026 World Cup.

Status of the injured players and the future of the World Cup squad

The head coach said the captain is progressing well and is already training alongside the group: “Messi is doing well, he’s no longer completely training separately.” However, the physical demands will increase after next Tuesday’s friendly against Iceland, when it will be assessed whether changes need to be made to the roster: “Next week will be important to push them (the injured players) and see where we stand. So far we haven’t wanted to take any risks with them. In principle everything is going well, but we’ll see what happens when we increase the workload.”

Scaloni was blunt about the physical condition required to travel to the World Cup: “If anyone doesn’t meet the minimum fitness requirement, they’ll be left out. Next week will be key for the injured players.” He also expressed sympathy for the players left out of the previous call-up: “We didn’t call anyone up, it’s a horrible feeling to be left out. The decisions about the squad were the right ones with the team in mind.”

The ambition to retain the crown

The coach made it clear that Argentina’s standards remain unchanged after the last title: “Argentina has always gone in as one of the contenders, one of the teams people believe can go all the way. Our expectations haven’t changed because we are the champions. These boys are capable of handling the pressure, if this even means pressure — I think pressure is something else.”

He also admitted his surprise at the stance taken by the No. 10 before facing his sixth World Cup: “I also expected Messi to announce that he would play in the World Cup, but he waited for the coach’s call-up like any other player.”

The tactical setup and rotation in goal

Looking ahead to the match against the Central American side, the coach confirmed who will be between the posts: “Juan (Musso) will start in goal tomorrow and Gero (Rulli) will probably play the next one, with the possibility of Santi (Beltrán) getting some minutes.”

Regarding the team’s identity, Scaloni prioritized consistency but showed flexibility: “We have a clear style of play and we’re not going to betray it. But if necessary, we have players who allow us to change our style.”

Analyzing Honduras as a World Cup benchmark

Although the coaching staff will look to assess the condition of players carrying physical issues rather than confirm an ideal starting eleven, the coach warned against underestimating the opponent: “When you face a national team, you have to stay alert — they are the best players in their country. A few months ago we played a friendly in our country that became difficult, when we all thought we could win comfortably.”

To close, he highlighted his relationship with the opposing coach and the tactical usefulness of the match:

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