"I need to see them" - Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni confirms changes to line-up for final Copa America group-stage game against Peru
Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has confirmed that he would heavily rotate his side's line-up for their final 2024 Copa America group-stage game against Peru on Saturday, June 29. The defending champions have already booked their spot in the quarterfinals after winning their first two group games.
Argentina kicked off their campaign with a 2-0 win over Canada, courtesy of goals from Julian Alvarez and substitute Lautaro Martinez. The latter was on the scoresheet again against Chile, coming off the bench and scoring in the 88th minute to hand his side a 1-0 win on Tuesday, June 25.
With a spot in the knockouts assured, Scaloni claimed that against Peru, he would put out a squad consisting of the players who did not feature in the first two games.
At a post-match press conference after the Chile game, the 46-year-old said (via TyCSports):
"The boys who were not in these two matches will play [in the next game] because I need to see them and they also deserve it."
Notable absentees from the first two games include Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho, Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Exequiel Palacios, and Real Betis enforcer Guido Rodriguez. Scaloni could hand all three a chance to showcase their talents against Peru.
Scaloni is likely to keep superstar forward Lionel Messi out of action for the last game. The 37-year-old was seen holding his right leg and limping against Chile, and the manager will likely not risk the captain's fitness just before the quarter-finals.
"I didn't feel" - Argentina superstar Lionel Messi provides update on the injury he suffered in the 1-0 win over Chile
Lionel Messi provided an update on the injury he suffered in Argentina's 1-0 win over Chile at the Copa America. The Barcelona legend claimed that he found it tough to move around and hoped that it wasn't anything serious that could hamper La Albiceleste's chances in the tournament.
The Inter Miami superstar explained what he felt during the game, saying (via TyC Sports):
"In the first play, my adductor got hard. I didn’t feel a puncture or a tear, but I did find it difficult to move freely."
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner added:
"I was able to end up playing [the full game], so I hope it's nothing serious."
Although Messi will likely not play against Peru, Argentina will be hoping to end their group-stage campaign with a win and carry the momentum into the quarterfinals.