The TD of the national team, Lionel Scaloni, and all the Argentine squad. Missing less and less from the World Cup list. Photo Mario Quinteros (special correspondent)
At the Pamplona station, everyone leads their normal life. While they wait for their trains, they read a newspaper, have a coffee or eat a tuna and mayonnaise sandwich (tuna and mayonnaise from this area of northern Spain). There, sitting in a bar like an extra passenger is the technical director of the Argentine national team after closing the group in which his team, led by a brilliant Lionel Messi, won the title of the Final and beat Estonia 5-0 (all five of Leo). Alone, Lionel Scaloni looks at his laptop while he mixes his cup. Before returning home to Mallorca with his family for a few days, the albiceleste coach is still connected, he watches videos, communicates with his collaborators, draws conclusions from the performances of his coaches, cleans the final list of the World Cup in Qatar 2022.
You’re more than on the right track, Scaloni. He often repeats it “Except Messi, everyone else is fighting for a place.” This pierces her boys’ heads every time she chats with them. She doesn’t want anyone to relax. He doesn’t want anyone to feel untouchable. But reality indicates that there are names that, apart from large imponderables (which may always exist), will be said to be present on Qatari soil.
For this tour of Europe, which the DT considered basic Since there will be no more opportunities to work with the team for as long as he has done now for 13 days, the man born in Pujato has mentioned 30 names. Much of the press speculates that this may have been a pre-list and from there make the cut corresponding to 23 or 26 playersif FIFA finally confirms – as it is supposed to happen – the enlargement of the list by covid-19 and all the changes that the pandemic has forced to introduce.
Scaloni has clear ideas about most of the names he will bring to Qatar, but there are still points to be resolved. Photo: Mario Quinteros (special correspondent)
If this were really the case and if indeed the squad in Qatar would be 26, Scaloni is expected to eliminate four of his men: one per position. The idea is to take three archers. Emiliano Martínez and Franco Armani have their place secured, while Juan Musso emerges as the comfortable third ahead of Gerónimo Rulli.
The defense has everything quite clear: Nahuel Molina and Gonzalo Montiel are the right-backs; Nicolás Otamendi, Cristian Romero, Germán Pezzella and Lisandro Martínez, central defenders; and Nicolás Tagliafico and Marcos Acuña, left-backs, the latter sector being the most competitive for the starting position. Cut it and the Egg they are neck and neck for the DT. In fact that of Ajax played against Italy and that of Sevilla (it was assumed that he was not at Wembley due to injury, but he was ok) with Estonia.
Someone else should be in the background. That, today, could be Juan Foyth, who can resolve two positions. And Marcos Senesi, who made his debut at Osasuna as a complement, and Nehuén Pérez, who left the desire to make his debut, would be excluded.
The real estate in the middle are Angel Di María (if you consider him a right midfielder in the 4-4-2 that the Argentine coach usually puts in place), Rodrigo De Paul, Leandro Paredes and Giovani Lo Celso. Guido Rodríguez, Alejandro Gómez and Nicolás González are today a staple. Those who are satisfied with a place would be Alexis Mac Allister and Exequiel Palacios, two multifunctional. Now if spaghetti is considered an attacker, this would open the door to the previous two or to the appearance of another name that was not in this quote.
Three goalkeepers, nine defenders, six midfielders and six forwards would be the positions that Scaloni will hold if the list were finally of 26 names. Photo: Mario Quinteros (special correspondent)
And above, inside are Messi and Lautaro Martínez. Joaquín Correa, the substitute for the Bull also for Scaloni. Paulo Dybala, Angel Correa (successfully operated on his sternum prosthesis this Monday, but with complications to get there safely) and Julián Alvarez would complete the other posts.
Of course, if in the end the list remains with 23 surnames, as in the rest of the previous World Championships, the scissors will have to go over each sector. In any case, there are other players closely followed by the biancoceleste technical staff, already summoned several times previously and who maintain the hope of recovering ground if they have a good semester with their teams, beyond not having integrated the recent list.
Lucas Martínez Quarta, Nicolás Domínguez, Lucas Ocampos, Giovani Simeone, Lucas Alario, are some of those players who are a small step behind today, but who could easily turn history upside down tomorrow.
Scaloni has already shown that he knows how to surprise and to be guided a lot by the moments that every player lives. There are just over five months left and the start of next season will be the key to the final choice. Furthermore, the national team will meet again in September in a new FIFA window. He should play the suspended classic with Brazil due to the order from Switzerland, even if the AFA has appealed and hopes to avoid that duel.
Meanwhile they are looking for rivals, if possible European or African. Furthermore, there is a preliminary agreement to meet on Arab soil a few days before stepping on Qatar. And there is not to be excluded the realization of a last friendly preparation.
Scaloni takes the train that will bring him home, but at the same time brings him closer to the terminal station called Qatar 2022.
Pamplona. Special delivery.
Nahuel Lanzillotta
Source: Clarin
