Scaloni opted for Papu Gómez to replace Di María against Australia

After a tumultuous start, with an unexpected defeat to Saudi Arabia, Argentina went from footballing doubts to physical doubts. Lionel Scaloni He has complained vehemently, and rightly so, about the short rest his team will have to play against Australia. And the first victim was Ángel Di María, ruled out due to muscle overload.

The coach had three men to fill that position, all with different characteristics: Alejandro Gomezwho was only a starter in his debut and added no more minutes, Angelo Correa Y Paul Dybala.

In a week of great secrecy, finally, the Santa Fesino leaned towards the Sevillian and discarded those of Atlético de Madrid and Roma.

Though has been speculated with another change Due to some physical discomfort of Cuti, the eleven will be: Emiliano Martínez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Nicolás Otamendi, Marcos Acuña; Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis MacAllister; Alejandro Gomez, Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez.

Without DiMaria, and without a natural replacement like Nicolás González was, Scaloni has changed more than one name by name. The absence of Tagliatelle takes away from the national team, used to that push and pull and the left-handed versatility of playing both on the right and on the left.

In the last training session, the DT had also tried Correa for a while, but in the final part of the practice he brought in Papu Gómez, who he finally chose as starter in the key match against Australia.

Already across the street awaits the Netherlands, who beat the United States 3-1 to become the first team to qualify for the quarter-finals.