Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni confirmed that captain Lionel Messi, who has been dealing with a leg injury, will play against Canada in Tuesday’s Copa América semifinal. Messi played the full 90 minutes of the quarterfinal match against Ecuador, which La Albiceleste won after a penalty shootout.
Inter Miami’s superstar missed Argentina’s final group stage match, causing concerns about his fitness for the rest of the tournament. However, he returned for the quarterfinal and appeared unaffected, particularly in the 34th minute when his corner kick ended in a goal by Lisandro Martinez, giving Argentina a 1-0 lead.
Ecuador remarkably tied the score in stoppage time to force penalty kicks; Messi missed the first one, but Emiliano Martínez’s heroics in goal kept Argentina winning.
Two and a half weeks ago, Argentina defeated Canada 2-0 in the tournament’s opening encounter. Messi has now recovered from his injury and has not yet netted a goal for his team in this Copa América.
On Monday, however, Scaloni remained firm over Messi’s situation and stated that it is up to him whether or not he plays.
“It’s a very easy call for me because it’s a very honest discussion,” Scaloni stated. “I ask him, ‘How are you doing?’ as we settle down. You play [if he says] “I’m OK.” I have stated unequivocally from Day 1 that he will always play when he is ready for the contest. Who could ever be hesitant? At least not me.
The speaker decides to make a starter for a player in good condition, even if not 100%, as they believe he has a lot to offer. They take full responsibility for this decision, stating that it’s not a discussion point.
In this semifinal rematch, Canada, meanwhile, intends to cause trouble for the tournament favorites. After exceeding expectations, coach Jesse Marsch—who has only been in the position since May—and his team now have a fantastic chance to make an even bigger statement by defeating La Albiceleste and qualifying for the Copa America championship.
Argentina is determined to defend their title against Canada, aiming to find the best way to hurt them and use every weapon, according to Scaloni, who is familiar with the situation.
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