BTN News: The Argentina football team trained in Houston on Tuesday. They are getting ready for the quarterfinal match against Ecuador on Thursday.
Lionel Messi Trains Fully with Team, Bringing Hope for a Strong Lineup
Lionel Messi trained with the team for the first time in days. He completed the whole session. This makes the team hopeful. There is one more practice before the big match. But it is not sure if Messi will start the game.
Messi is feeling better now. On Monday, he did some training with the team. Today, he did the full training. This gives hope that he will play from the start against Ecuador.
Ángel Di María Expected to Start Even if Messi Does Not Play
People thought Ángel Di María would start only if Messi played. But now, it looks like Di María will start no matter what.
Di María was in a test lineup with four midfielders. This might not be the final lineup. But it shows Di María will likely start. We still do not know his exact position.
Decisions on Midfield and Forward Players are Crucial for the Game
Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, and Nicolás González also trained. The main question is who will be the striker: Lautaro Martínez or Julián Alvarez. Both might play only if Messi does not start.
If both Di María and Messi play, and if one of Lautaro or Julián plays too, then Nicolás González might sit on the bench. The midfield will have De Paul, Mac Allister, and one more player: Enzo Fernández or Leandro Paredes.
Argentina is making important decisions as they get ready to face Ecuador. They aim to win and move to the Copa América semifinals.
