On the eve of Argentina's national team's upcoming Copa America Quarterfinal match against Ecuador, Head Coach Scaloni attended a press conference to elaborate on his team's preparations, selection of the starting roster, player status, and tactical layout.
Regarding the finalization of the starting lineup, Scaloni said that they need to wait for some more time to see the players' form through further training. He specifically mentioned key players such as Messi and Lautaro, saying that although they are all likely to start, the exact decision will be made after today's training session. Scaloni emphasized that the team will formulate the most suitable lineup based on each player's reaction and the opponent's situation.
Speaking about Lautaro and Alvarez, Scaloni said that they are both capable of starting as they have already played together against Ecuador and performed well. He admitted that logically, no possibilities will be ruled out because every player in the squad is performing well, so the final choice will be based on what we have observed and trained today.
Scaloni also recalled how he was unable to be present at the last game due to a ban, saying that the situation was really frustrating because as a coach he wants to be as close to the players as possible to give them guidance and support. He also said that he will try to avoid this situation from happening again and hopes to be more involved in the team's games in the future.
Speaking about the impact of Messi's presence or absence on the team's tactics, Scaloni said that Messi's presence does make the team's tactical layout different, but the team will try to make the best choice for the game regardless of whether Messi plays or not. He emphasized that the game needs to be played one by one, and the team will make the most suitable tactics according to the opponent's situation and its own state.
Additionally, Scaloni talked about the impact of statistics on the team. He stated that he doesn't fully believe in statistics because they can be broken. He is more interested in the actual performance of the team and the form of the players. He confessed that Ecuador is a well-trained and strong team, but Argentina is also strong enough to meet the challenge.
Looking ahead to the other favorites to win the tournament, Scaloni said that it was a very high level Copa America and that the teams in the tournament all performed well. He singled out the likes of Uruguay, Brazil and Colombia as teams that have a chance to reach the final and compete for the title. He emphasized that the final victory will depend on a number of factors, including the strength, form and tactics of the teams.
Finally, Scaloni also talked about the performance of players like McAllister in the Argentine team. He stated that McAllister is a smart player who is able to perform at his best in different positions. He praised the adaptability and versatility of a number of players in the squad and said that the presence of these players brings more options and variety to the team.
