Argentina possible starting lineup for game 1 of the group stage vs Saudi Arabia
How will Lionel Scaloni’s side look against Saudi Arabia?
Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina side will face Saudi Arabia in their World Cup opening game at the Lusail Stadium on Tuesday 22 November. Many Argentina fans have worried in the build up to the tournament over the fitness of PSG forward Lionel Messi, who looked to have found his best form before a calf injury took him out of training during the week.
Team news
As said, Lionel Messi has been a doubt over the past few days with an injury, but looks to be coming out of the other side after some rest and specialised training away from the group and in the gym, behind closed doors and away from prying eyes. Given Karim Benzema’s niggling injuries worsening during group training, Argentina wanted to use that as an example of how not to do things, and as such the captain has been keeping fit away from his teammates.
Despite the earlier scare, it looks as though things are looking and Messi should be fit to start. The other doubt is Lisandro Martínez, who is currently injured and it appears like Scaloni will go with Nicolás Otamendi in his place for the first game of Group C.
Apart from those doubts, Argentina seem to be all ready to go and, on top of that, look in fabulous form. They beat the UAE 5-0 in their final warm-up game and although that match is not a litmus test for the entire tournament, it shows that all the players are focused on the objective and ready to go. Late inclusions Ángel Correa and Thiago Almada will give the squad a lot of different options off the bench, so Lionel Scaloni must be a happy man in terms of personnel.
Argentina predicted lineup: Martínez; Molina, Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Acuña; De Paul, Rodríguez; Di Maria, Messi, Álvarez; Lautaro.