Buenos Aires: The Argentina national football team is gearing up for a friendly match against Ecuador ahead of the Copa America tournament. Coach Lionel Scaloni has provided insights into the team selection and highlighted the importance of two players in particular.
Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez are in stellar form currently, giving the coach a welcome selection headache. According to Scaloni, the duo have the ability to play the full 90 minutes in every match at the Copa America owing to their fitness levels. With the attacking pair firing on all cylinders, it has eased Scaloni’s selection worries ahead of the continental competition.
Scaloni also commented on the young talents coming through the ranks like Alejandro Garnacho and Valentin Carboni but stated game time for the latter may still be limited due to lack of experience against international opponents. Performance in upcoming matches will determine if the youngsters are handed opportunities to showcase their potential on the big stage.
Lionel Messi will start against Ecuador as he builds up his minutes ahead of the Copa America campaign. While Scaloni did not specify the playing time for Messi, he hinted it could be between 30-60 minutes depending on the match situation. The final XI is not fully determined yet and changes may be made according to on-field performances, the coach concluded.
