Lionel Scaloni does not plan to make many changes. The Argentina national team coach anticipated that he would field a lineup «very similar» to the one that beat Egypt in the round of 16 and hinted that repeating the team «wouldn’t be crazy» ahead of the quarterfinal clash against Switzerland, although he did not rule out «some change.»
«Repeating the lineup wouldn’t be crazy,» the coach began to elaborate, acknowledging that he has done so «a few times.» However, he left the door open for some variation: the previous adjustments, he clarified, were made because «the team can always improve.» In that regard, he valued the inclusion of Leandro Paredes and the return of Alexis Mac Allister on the left side of midfield.
Regarding the attack, Scaloni was direct: between Lautaro Martínez and Julián Álvarez, «one plays.» Still, he highlighted that both «gave a lot» when they shared the pitch against Egypt and thanked them «because they work tirelessly» when the team does not have the ball, so he has a «positive» assessment of them.
As for the squad’s condition, he admitted that the outlook «looked darker than it is now» at the start of the training camp, when they knew they would not have key players like Paredes and full-back Nicolás Tagliafico from the start. That is why they had to make «adjustments,» a problem that — he celebrated — they were able to overcome to keep competing.
About the opponent, the native of Pujato warned that «there is no easy opponent» and described Switzerland as «a very good team,» with World Cup tradition, experienced players, and physical strength, capable of eliminating a Colombia team that «had been doing a tremendous job.» Earlier, he insisted that his team is «fine» and compared the present to the semifinals of Qatar 2022: «Against Croatia we won 3-0, and I think they had controlled the ball much more than Egypt, for example.»
The focus, as always, ended up on Lionel Messi. The coach defined him as «much more decisive,» praised his physical condition at age 39, and stated: «As long as he wants, he will be the best, until he is 50 years old.» He also assured that it never crosses his mind to ask him to stop taking penalties and valued his intelligence in playing as a right winger in the final minutes of the last match, admitting that the team moves «based on what he does.»
The national team will visit Switzerland this Saturday, July 11 at 10 p.m. (Argentine time) at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, seeking its second consecutive World Cup semifinal after the title in Qatar 2022.
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Para mí Scaloni es un genio, repetí el equipo nomás que esos zurdos de Suiza no nos ganan ni en pedo. Yo creo que Messi hasta los 50 va a ser el mejor, los demás que se vayan a llorar a otro lado. Vamos Argentina carajo, esto huele a gloria.
Para mí Scaloni se hace el boludo, pone a los mismos que humillaron a Egipto, no cambios falopa. Messi hasta los 50? Clarooo, los termo gallegos no nos paran. Dale campeón, a romper Suiza carajo! Firmado: El Crotto de la 12