Messi, no Argentina for Covid. Scaloni: "It had the most severe variant"

With the Albiceleste already in Qatar, the coach preferred to leave Messi in Paris to allow him to recover better after Covid. "We would like him to be here, but it is certain that he physically returns to the top, the captain will be Di Maria".

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni is back due to Leo Messi's failure to call up the two World Cup qualifiers that the Seleção (already certain of a spot in Qatar) will play against Chile and Colombia. "I would have liked to be here with us, but I spoke to Lionel and he told me that he was severely affected by Covid. He had the most severe variant - he explained - It is important that you physically go back to the top and I felt that it was not ideal for him to reach the top in selection not being 100%".