Before the start of the World Cup qualifiers, it seems that problems just won’t leave Argentina alone. After losing Lionel Messi and several other players, the team is now facing another setback. Lautaro Martinez might not be available to play against Uruguay due to a muscle injury.
Martinez was named in the 26-man squad by coach Lionel Scaloni on Monday for the upcoming matches against Uruguay and Brazil. With Messi and Paulo Dybala already out, Martinez was expected to take on more responsibility. However, recent media reports suggest that he is struggling with a fitness issue.
Scaloni’s side will face Uruguay on Saturday morning (Bangladesh time) in Montevideo, followed by a match against Brazil at home on Wednesday.
Reports indicate that Martinez had been dealing with similar issues at club level recently. He missed Inter Milan’s Champions League match against Feyenoord last week but returned to play against Atalanta in Serie A. While this suggested he was recovering, it seems his fitness may not be fully restored.
According to a report by TYC Sports on Wednesday, Martinez participated in part of Tuesday’s team training but later worked out on his own.
The Argentine national team has not made an official statement regarding his condition yet. In addition to Messi and Dybala, who are already missing, the team has also lost Gonzalo Montiel and Giovanni Lo Celso from the initial squad. Defender Lisandro Martinez was also ruled out earlier due to injury.
Despite these injury woes, Argentina remains in a strong position in the World Cup qualifiers. They sit at the top of the South American standings with 25 points from 12 matches, while Uruguay is in second with 20 points, and Brazil is fifth with 18 points.
