On the eve of Argentina's upcoming Copa America semifinal match against Canada, veteran forward Tagliafico appeared at a pre-match press conference alongside manager Scaloni and gave his thoughts on the matchup, the current state of the Copa America, and the previous match against Ecuador, among other topics.
Facing the upcoming semifinals, Tagliafico said, "We can't take this for granted. We have worked very hard to reach the semifinals of the Copa America again. Everything seems normal, but it's not. We have to appreciate and realize what we have achieved, because that is what drives us. We hope to achieve another goal, which is to win this one and reach the final again."
On the frequent draws in the Copa America, Tagliafico believes, "This reflects the rigors of the tournament and the efforts of the teams. Many of the matches ended in draws and even went into brutal penalty shoot-outs. This shows that the overall level of all the teams is very close and the matches are getting tougher and tougher. We are not only training hard on a physical level, but we are also improving our soccer game, all of which is key to setting us apart from the competition."
Speaking about the special feature of this year's America's Cup - the participation of teams from North and Central America and the Caribbean - Tagliafico welcomed the change: "This change makes the America's Cup more competitive and balanced. Adding more teams to the field makes sense, it breaks up the traditional competitive landscape and gives us the opportunity to play more teams with different styles."
Reflecting on the quarterfinal match against Ecuador, Tagliafico said, "We went through a lot of ups and downs in that match, but eventually won through a penalty shootout. It was both a recognition of our efforts and a reminder of our shortcomings. We always want to play in the best possible way, but the reality is often not what we want. The important thing is that we have learned from this and are ready for future matches."
On the upcoming competition with Acuña for the starting position, Tagliafico showed the team spirit of the Argentinean team: "In this Argentinean team, everyone has the opportunity to play. The coach will make decisions based on the demands of the game and the characteristics of the opponent. Acuña's injury is indeed a pity, but our whole team is ready to give their best, no matter who plays."
Looking ahead to the semi-final clash with Canada, Tagliafico emphasized the enormity of the match: "As I said, all the opponents are well-balanced. Even though we are the World Cup champions, we can't take it lightly. The Canadians are a team with speed and intensity, and they are very team-oriented. We know it's going to be a tough matchup, but we're going to give it our all to win. We have to be alert enough to do our best on the pitch because no victory comes easy and only through relentless hard work can we achieve our goals."
