Where is Messi?

All eyes were looking for a footballer, but they could not find him. There is no case. The player-magnet there, in the training camp in Argentina, doesn’t come out. Where is Messi? Also in Leo something happened to him? Concerns are not exaggerated. At the concentration found in University of Qatarthe specter of damages was installed driven by the casualties of Nicolás González and Joaquín Correa. And if 10 doesn’t appear in the first test open to the press in Doha, it seems strange…

The important thing, first: Leo is full. It is true that this Friday he was not on the field in the practice section witnessed by journalists. Everything has an explanation. Messi he stayed in the gym, like other football players: Rodrigo De Paul, Angel Di Maria, Leandro Paredes, Nicolás Otamendi, Lisandro Martínez and Juan Foyth. They all added the most minutes on Wednesday against the United Arab Emirates. That’s why they were given a special job. Later, when the press had left the area, the captain appeared on the field. Leo is 10 and will undoubtedly start against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday’s World Cup debut.

Leaving Messi aside, this Friday’s training session was very important for Argentina. That is, beyond the two casualties that triggered the emergency calls of Angel Correa and Thiago Almada, DT Lionel Scaloni closely followed other players suffering from various discomforts. Marcos Acuña (pubalgia) and Alejandro “Papu” Gómez (knee discomfort), the most observed, responded well. Both Nicolás Tagliafico (muscular overload) and Paulo Dybala, who in his 13th return to play a few minutes in Roma after a tear. A lot of men have discomforts before the competition starts.

There are also a number of key interpreters, regular starters, whom Scaloni is protecting to the hilt and plans to include them from the start against Saudi Arabia. They are Cristian Romero (he’s out with a right calf strain) and Lautaro Martínez (didn’t play against the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday due to strain).

Cuti Romero and Lautaro are in a glass box. One is key to the heart of the defense, due to personality, timing and exit with hierarchy. The other is Scaloni’s favorite “9”, a center forward with almost half a goal average in the light blue and white. The Argentine coach does not want to lose more key players. First, he failed to mention Giovani Lo Celso. Later, he did not affect Nico González and Joaquín Correa. This is enough. To scare the ghosts.