At the pre-match press conference for the eighth round of the World Cup South American qualifying group stage against Colombia, Argentina head coach Scaloni gave a full account of his team's current injury situation, expectations for the game, player rotation strategy and upcoming challenges.
Team injuries and lineup changes
Scaloni first revealed the team's recovery from injuries. He said that despite the team's overall good form, there are still some minor injury issues to be concerned about. Nicolas Gonzalez and McAllister have been training to varying degrees, but their exact availability will depend on their recovery. Scaloni emphasized that he may make some adjustments to the starting lineup based on the players' form as the game is still a few days away. At the same time, he also expressed his confidence in the team's new players, who have a high level of understanding with each other and may see new faces emerge in the game.
Messi's return and team tactics
Regarding Messi's recovery at Miami International, Scaloni expressed his hope that he will return to the team soon. He admits that Messi's importance to the team cannot be overstated, but the team also has a set of tactical concepts that go beyond the individual player. When Messi is not present, the team will still maintain the same tactical execution, but may lack his decisive final blow. Scaloni said the team will decide whether or not to play Messi in the upcoming matches based on his status.
Dealing with hot weather and the threat of opposition set-pieces
Regarding the hot weather expected at the Roberto Melendez Metropolitano Stadium, the venue of the match, Scaloni said that it will have an impact on the players of both sides, and therefore the team will arrange their lineups according to the best way to cope with the match. He emphasized that external factors in the game are normal and that the team will be well prepared to deal with the challenges. At the same time, he also mentioned the Colombian team's excellent ability in set-pieces, saying that the team needs to be careful in dealing with this threat, but will not change its defensive approach as a result.
Coaching Role Models and the South American European Supercup
Speaking about his coaching role models, Scaloni said that Carlo Ancelotti is one of his role models and that he believes he is very similar to Ancelotti in many ways. He also thanked coaches such as Pekerman and Daniel Cordoba, who coached him, for teaching and influencing him. On the news that the South American European Super Cup could be postponed to 2026, Scaloni said it depends on the arrangements of the parties and the intensity of the schedule. He thinks it is unlikely that the tournament will be held in 2025 unless a suitable slot can be found. However, he also said that this is not the focus of his attention right now, and that the team's main task at the moment is to prepare for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
