Argentina will play two crucial World Cup qualifiers within a week—facing Uruguay tomorrow morning and arch-rivals Brazil on March 26. However, coach Lionel Scaloni is facing a serious selection dilemma as key players continue to drop out due to injuries.
With the Uruguay match just around the corner, Scaloni has yet to finalize his starting lineup. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, he admitted that he has only managed to confirm “90 percent” of the lineup so far.
Addressing the team’s situation, Scaloni said, “Whenever we play during FIFA breaks, we have to be cautious. We knew some players would get injured, and there was always a risk of losing more.”
“We must focus on the players available and maximize their strengths. The plans we made 15 days ago are no longer relevant, so we have to rethink our strategy for the match,” he added.
Injuries and player absences during international breaks are common, but Argentina seems to be facing an unusual level of difficulty this time. Losing three of their top stars has left Scaloni struggling to finalize his best XI.
When asked about his lineup plans, Scaloni explained, “I’ve decided on 90 percent of the starting XI. I’ll confirm it after today’s training, but I already have a general idea. We know we’re facing a tough opponent in Uruguay.”
Despite missing key players, Scaloni believes this match presents an opportunity for others to step up. “Some of our players are unavailable, which gives others a chance to prove themselves,” he said. Now, it remains to be seen whether the younger and backup players can seize the moment.
Although Scaloni hasn’t finalized the lineup, Argentine media outlet Bolavip has predicted Argentina’s possible XI:
Probable Starting XI:
Emiliano Martínez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Nicolás Otamendi, Nicolás Tagliafico; Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister; Leandro Paredes or Giuliano Simeone; Julián Álvarez, Nicolás González.
