Despite injury concerns, Lionel Scaloni is adamant that Lionel Messi is fit to play in their Copa America semi-final against Canada. (More Football News)
The Argentina captain sustained a hamstring injury in their second group game against Chile, forcing 🌱him out of thꦿe following match against Peru
Despite injury concerns, Lionel Scaloni is adamant that Lionel Messi is fit to play in their Copa America semi-final against Canada. (More Football News)
The Argentina captain sustained a hamstring injury in their second group game against Chile, fo🐻rcing him out of the following match against Peru.
However, Messi returned for their quarter-final meeting with Ecu𓆏ador,💛 notably missing the first spot-kick in the penalty shootout, which they won thanks to two Emiliano Martinez saves.
Aft🐷er Messi admitted he "trained with fear" ahead of his return from injury against La Tricolor, Scaloni has brushed off any worries about his star man's fitness.
"99% of the time, [Messi] is fit to play," Scaloni said. "It'ꦯs never happened to me that he's not fit to play.
"Every time he's come out on the pitch, he's fit to play. For [Canad𝓡a], he's fit to play, withไout a doubt.
"It's a very easy decision for me, because it's a very frank decision, that if he's fine, he plays; and if he's not fine, he plays the lastܫ 30 minutes. It's that easy.
"It's true that that won't ever weigh on me. I know what he can give us even if he's not in optimal condition. I wouldn't make the grave mistake of not putting him on the pitch knowing that he gives ♔us a lot, so that's indisputable."
Argentina opened the🌃ir Copa America title defence with a 2-0 victory over Canada on June 20.
Scaloni acknowledged the benefit of that first meeting, though conceded Jesse Marsch was unඣlikely to take the same approach in a bid to reach the final.
"Canada has players who are physically strong and also technically good, with a coach who has conveyed an ꦗaggressive way of playing," he added.
"They have made things difficult for al🦄l teams. Physically, it's difficult to match them, but with our assets, we💯 hope to play the game on our side.
"All coaches take notes to correct mistakes and🤡 hurt our opponents. Each coach will have to do something different. We will try to have the ball and stop them from playing their game."