Following his corona infection, the Argentine national team must do without their captain Lionel Messi in World Cup qualifying.
Messi is not in the squad for the upcoming games against Colombia and Chile, national coach Lionel Scaloni announced on Wednesday. Instead, the coach will rely on players such as PSG’s Leandro Paredes and Angel di María, Juventus Turin’s Paulo Dybala and Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martínez.
It will be the Argentina national team’s first international match without the PSG striker since November 2018, Messi having contracted the coronavirus while on home leave in Argentina late last year. Recovery took longer than expected and the 34-year-old missed several of his club’s matches.
Along with Brazil, Argentina are also already qualified for the World Cup in Qatar in South America. On 27 January, the Albiceleste will face Chile in Calama, and on 1 February, national coach Scaloni’s team will play Colombia in Cordoba.
