Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said on Monday, on the eve of the South American 'Clasico' against Brazil in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, that “it is an important match, but it is still football”. In addition, he did not want to talk about Leo Messi regarding his participation in next June's matches.
Lionel Scaloni, when asked about Leo Messi's possible presence in next June's qualifiers, said: “We don't think anything about Messi until we know if he is fit. We are not worried about him now. We have to find the way to play without him. We are trying to figure out how to make his absence as little noticeable as possible.”
“The objective is always the same. We are competitive and that fills us with pride. Everyone knows what he brings and we can decide on one or the other. On the part of the coaching staff, we are grateful for what the boys are doing. In football there are moments when you are dominated or you dominate, but we will be prepared,” he said.
Scaloni, in reference to the No 10 and the match against Brazil, used the example of the former Barca star and Neymar to clarify the rivalry between the two countries: “We have to remember the image of Messi and Neymar. That's what we have to stay with, being together and being friends,” he said to lower the tension that usually exists in these duels. “Everyone wants to win, but it doesn't have to go too far,” he added.
Scaloni announced that “the team will be very similar to that of the other day (against Uruguay) with the presence of Rodrigo (De Paul)”. “There will be some changes, but no more than two. It is a good match to show that the team is still in force and the idea is to play a good match against a great rival. They have a great team, especially from midfield forward”, he concluded.