Nahuel Molina Lucero, Julian Alvarez, and Giuliano Simeone have been left out of the squad after failing to complete the required health documentation related to the yellow fever vaccination needed for entry into Angola.

The only players from Spanish clubs who successfully completed their vaccination paperwork on time are midfielder Thiago Almada and forward Nicolas Gonzalez, both currently participating in Argentina’s training sessions in Alicante, Spain.

Scaloni will now have to determine who will replace the three absentees, though the same vaccination requirements could complicate any new call-ups. For instance, Marcos Acuna, who received a fifth yellow card in the Superclasico between River Plate and Boca Juniors — a match Boca won — would face similar eligibility issues.

Leandro Paredes’ case, however, is different. Despite Boca Juniors already qualifying for both the 2025 Torneo Clausura playoffs and the upcoming Copa Libertadores, Scaloni and AFA president Claudio Tapia have decided not to include players from the domestic league for Argentina’s November squad at this time.

Another key absence for a different reason

Argentina will not only miss those three players but will also be without one of their most influential midfielders, Enzo Fernandez of Chelsea. The team will lose a player who contributes on both ends — creating, recovering, and linking play seamlessly with Messi on the field.

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) announced in a brief statement that Enzo Fernandez is suffering from bone edema in his right knee and will remain in London to continue his recovery with Chelsea. His absence is a major blow, as he has been one of the key figures in Argentina’s midfield balance.

Scaloni will have 22 players available for this friendly, with Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez returning to the squad after recovering from a cruciate ligament injury, and Kevin Mac Allister — brother of Alexis Mac Allister — joining from Belgian side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise. Also, Emiliano Buendia of Aston Villa is one of the latest players to join the Argentina national team.

It marks Messi’s comeback to the Argentina national team after missing one of the previous qualifier windows due to an injury that kept him sidelined. The captain now returns fully recovered and is expected to bring his trademark intensity and determination as the team closes out the qualifying campaign, although he did feature for a few minutes in the last match against Colombia.

Argentina will likely test new players in these matches to expand their options heading into the next World Cup, which could also prove advantageous for their opponents. Venezuela need a victory against Argentina to keep their hopes of direct qualification alive, or at the very least, secure a crucial result. For now, they sit seventh, holding a playoff spot.

Ecuador, on the other hand, are already mathematically qualified and sit second behind Argentina. They will look to close their campaign in style with a win while also measuring themselves in what could be a preview of their potential at the next World Cup. Ecuador have been one of the toughest teams for Lionel Scaloni’s side to face.

Who is the big absentee from the squad list?

Even though Argentina will have their captain back in the lineup, Scaloni faces a major setback with the absence of Enzo Fernandez. The Chelsea midfielder, a World Cup winner in 2022, has been left out of the squad in a surprising development.

However, the decision is not due to performance or personal reasons. According to journalist Gaston Edul, Fernandez is unavailable because he must serve a two-match suspension after being sent off against Colombia for a harsh tackle on Kevin Castano.

The reigning world champions will fight for victories as they always do, but the task becomes more complicated without one of their most important midfielders. That said, Scaloni has depth to cover the loss, with options like Exequiel Palacios, Alan Varela, Leandro Paredes, Giovani Lo Celso, or even younger, more creative profiles such as Claudio Echeverri, Franco Mastantuono, and Thiago Almada. The final decision remains in the coach’s hands.

Paraguayan referee Juan Gabriel Benitez didn’t hesitate to send off the Chelsea midfielder, who immediately apologized to Castaño and stayed closed until the Colombian player got back on his feet.

Curiously, Fernandez is a product of River Plate, which is Castaño’s current team. In addition, as if this coincidence wasn’t enough, the venue of this game happens to be the Mas Monumental Stadium, home to the Argentine giants.

Fernandez joins Messi in unfortunate list with Scaloni’s Argentina

With this red card, Enzo Fernandez became just the third player to be sent off in Argentina during Lionel Scaloni’s tenure as head coach. Surprisingly, one of the players who makes that list is none other than Lionel Messi.

The Inter Miami superstar left his side down to 10 men during the third place match of the 2019 Copa America, following a heated exchange with Chilean veteran Gary Medel on the field.

The second player to see the red card under Scaloni was Nicolas Gonzalez, who got sent off for a similar reason as Fernandez. In March 2025, a high boot against Uruguay forced him to watch the remainder of the game from the sidelines. Argentina won that game 1-0, regardless. Believe it or not, the goal scorer that day was Thiago Almada, who also found the net against Colombia.

According to ESPN, all seems to be forgiven in the case of Enzo Fernandez. Despite being unfollowed by French teammates on Instagram and facing huge backlash over a video where he and his Argentine teammates mocked French players because of their ethnicity, Fernandez appears to have found favor again.

In a recent friendly against Real Madrid, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca gave Enzo Fernandez the captain’s armband and seems to have promoted him to vice-captain of the squad.

Enzo Fernandez: From Villain to Leader at Chelsea

The atmosphere around the former River Plate player changed significantly, according to The Times. Just over a week after his return to Chelsea (when there was even speculation about Fernandez possibly being transferred), he was chosen by his teammates as vice-captain, behind Reece James.

“He’s one of the important players. To be honest, I think when we changed Reece, he gave the bracelet [captain’s armband] to Enzo, and this shows how Enzo is respected inside the squad. I think it’s quite clear,” Maresca stated after the game.

Maresca added, “I spoke with Enzo, but as I said, I spoke with all of them. The situation is quite clear. He already made a statement apologizing, and the club did the same.”

In a quick recap of the events, following the celebrations for winning the 2024 Copa America, midfielder Enzo Fernandez started a live stream on his Instagram account. During the broadcast, chants were heard that several of his African teammates deemed racist.

As a result, several of Fernandez’ teammates expressed their discontent and even unfollowed him on social media. This sparked a major uproar in the football world, with all eyes turning to Chelsea and the decision the club’s management would ultimately make.

Initially, the midfielder issued a public apology on his social media accounts and followed up with personal apologies to his teammates. In response, Chelsea took immediate action by publicly addressing the situation and launching an internal disciplinary procedure to investigate the incident.

Chelsea’s decision on Enzo Fernandez

Chelsea are currently on their preseason tour in the United States. After a break following the Copa America, midfielder Enzo Fernandez rejoined the squad in Atlanta. As a first step, Fernandez personally apologized to his teammates face-to-face.

According to The Guardian, Fernandez met with his teammates, led by captain Reece James, and offered his apologies in person. His teammates, including Fofana and Disasi, accepted his apologies.

Fernandez has offered to make a substantial donation to an anti-discrimination charity, which will be facilitated through the Chelsea Foundation. Chelsea has pledged to match Fernandez’ contribution, acknowledging the maturity and responsibility he demonstrated upon his return. It is understood that the internal disciplinary process has concluded, with the club considering the matter resolved.

Chelsea’s North American tour

Chelsea continues their preparations for the new season of the English Premier League with their ongoing tour in the USA. The team still has three friendly matches scheduled, which will serve as critical tests before the competitive season begins:

• vs Club America – July 31st, Mercedes Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
• vs Manchester City – August 3rd, Ohio Stadium (Ohio)
• vs Real Madrid – August 6th, Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte)

Chelsea, in particular, had a challenging offseason, marked by a series of off-field controversies. Despite the distractions, the club has officially kicked off its preparations for the upcoming English Premier League season.

Enzo Maresca and his team are anticipating the return of midfielder Enzo Fernandez, who is scheduled to rejoin the club’s preseason training on Monday, July 29. Fernandez’ return comes after a recent controversy with his teammates who interpreted racial connotations on a live broadcast of the Argentine player.

Following the controversy, the English press has been rife with speculation. Numerous reports suggested that BlueCO, the consortium owning Chelsea, was considering offloading the former River Plate star during the current transfer window.

However, recent comments from Chelsea’s head coach, have helped to ease the tension within the club. Maresca’s statements have clarified the situation and, for now, have alleviated concerns about Fernandez’ future at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea are evaluating the possibility of transferring some players who publicly criticized the World Cup winner. Among those under consideration for departure are Ivorian forward David Datro Fofana and Albanian striker Armando Broja, both of whom are currently deemed surplus to the club’s requirements.

Also French Malang Sarr, who expressed his displeasure with Fernandez—evident from his decision to unfollow him on Instagram—has already concluded his departure from Chelsea. The defender is set to join Racing Club de Lens in Ligue 1.

Chelsea’s transfer list: Players targeted for departure

In a bid to stabilize its finances, Chelsea are targeting the sale or loan of at least 14 players this transfer window. According to reports from The Mirror, the club’s management has deemed the following players as surplus to requirements:

• Romelu Lukaku
• Kepa Arrizabalaga
• Trevoh Chalobah
• Conor Gallagher
• Djordge Petrovic
• Cesare Casadei

Chelsea’s U.S. tour

Chelsea’s preseason preparations are well underway, and the team has already faced their first test. In their opening match, Chelsea suffered a 4-1 defeat against Celtic, highlighting areas for improvement as they continue their buildup to the new season.

With Enzo Fernandez now integrated into the squad, Chelsea’s upcoming matches will offer further opportunities to refine tactics and build team cohesion. The remaining fixtures on their U.S. tour include:

• vs America – July 31st
• vs Manchester City – August 3rd
• vs Real Madrid – August 6th
• vs Inter Milan – August 10th

Now reported by Argentine outlet Diario Ole, Reece James gave his thoughts on the video in question stating, “We talked a bit about his viewpoint on what happened and he explained the situation. Obviously, it’s a difficult situation. I think Enzo knows he made a mistake. He raised his hand and apologized to the club, his teammates, and the offended people.”

Fernandez has since apologized both privately and publicly over the video which made reference to the African decent of various members of the French national team.

Enzo Maresca speak out on Enzo Fernandez

Chelsea’s latest head coach Enzo Maresca also echoed the comments made by his captain in a press conference over Enzo Fernandez:

‘I think it’s quite easy in terms of the player did a statement apologizing, the club did the same.I don’t think there’s something to add in terms of this situation, it’s already clear and clarified.’

‘In the end they are all human beings. I don’t think there is any bad intention from any one of them. So I don’t think when Enzo comes back we’ll have any kind of problem.

“As I said, the player already clarified the situation, the club did the same, there is nothing to add and once again, I think they are not bad persons or human beings, it can happen, but I don’t think it’s any problem at all. I spoke with Enzo, I spoke with all of them, as I said, the player already did a statement apologizing, so it’s quite clear.”

The Premier League has yet to issue their stance on the Enzo Fernandez video and if the player will receive any sanctions. Fernandez could be in major trouble as the former River Plate star could face sanctions from FIFA, Conmebol, and the English FA.

After days of receiving countless critics, Fernandez felt the love and support from River Plate supporters in a strange way as he’s spending his holidays in Argentina before rejoining Chelsea.

Fernandez was honored by River Plate for the 2024 Copa America title during his former club’s 2-2 draw against Lanus on Sunday, and fans came up with a curious but also controversial way to support him.

As soon as Enzo appeared on the field at the Mas Monumental stadium, many fans in attendance immediately started to sing Argentina’s controversial song against France.

French media reacts to River Plate fans singing Argentina’s controversial song to support Enzo Fernandez

Needless to say, this situation that took place during the River Plate game didn’t sit well in France, where Fernandez has been under heavy fire ever since his Instagram live stream went viral.

RMC Sport, one of France’s major multimedia outlets, was among the first to react to the chants at the Mas Monumental. “Obviously, it’s stronger than them. The vast majority of the Monumental stadium considered it appropriate to show their support for their former player by loudly singing the chant of shame.”

Meanwhile, Be Football, one of the most-followed French soccer accounts on X (formerly Twitter) with over 2 million followers, posted: “Tonight, River Plate fans sang the racist chant of the Argentine players in support of Enzo Fernández. We don’t even know what to say anymore.”

Fernandez was called out by French teammates at Chelsea before issuing an apology on social media, with the English club stating it will investigate this situation. We’ll have to wait and see how all of this unfolds.

This situation caused members of the Blues squad and other French players to express their repudiation of the phrases uttered by the former Benfica player and his teammates, as Axel Disasi, Malo Gusto and Wesley Fofana, among others, showed their dissatisfaction on social networks.

The situation caused a worldwide commotion in which many voices expressed their opinion about what happened, from players to politicians spoke on the subject and this time it was the Irishman and former Chelsea player Tony Cascarino who joined the debate.

Tony Cascarino’s message about Enzo Fernandez future

Tony Cascarino, who is a commentator for talkSPORT, remarked that he believes the relationship between the parties is irretrievable: “It’s going to be complicated. I look back to when I was at Chelsea in the 1990s and I’m not sure the dressing room agreed with what Enzo Fernandez did.”

He added: “It’s a complicated situation to deal with. I think Chelsea have to make a big decision about whether they actually keep Enzo Fernandez. Because having players who are not happy with a guy in the dressing room, I’m not sure there are many who are comfortable with some of the things that have happened.”

Finally, he insisted that the bond with Enzo Fernandez was damaged and that in his return, he will have to apologize: “I don’t know how this can be handled because there will be players who cannot forgive. It is not necessary for everyone at the club to get along, but this is very complicated. Some players won’t want to move on or won’t want the relationship to work. You will also have to apologize face-to-face with the team and maybe then there will be a little more forgiveness.”

The unfortunate live broadcast of Enzo Fernandez singing the controversial song against France could have harsh consequences. Beyond the widespread repudiation of fans, players and even his own teammates, the Argentine midfielder could face a sporting sanction, according to English media reports.

Fernandez has already apologized publicly, assuring that “there is absolutely no excuse” for his words and that “that video, that moment, those words, do not reflect my beliefs or my character.”

Enzo Fernandez could miss several games

The Argentine midfielder Fernandez could be suspended for up to 12 games. As explained by sports lawyer Udo Onwere in The Sun, the final decision would be in the hands of the English Association (FA), which is already investigating the case together with FIFA and Conmebol. The FA regulations provide for sanctions of “between six and twelve games for almost all acts of discrimination by individual participants”.

If the maximum sanction is confirmed, Fernandez would miss the start of the season with Chelsea and possibly some matches of the South American Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, where Argentina will face Chile and Colombia in September.

However, the sanction could also be extended to the Argentine Football Association (AFA), since there is a similar precedent with the Croatia National Team. In addition, FIFA could take disciplinary action at the international level. The investigation is still ongoing and the final decision on Enzo Fernandez’s future is expected to be known in the coming weeks.

The tweet was poorly received in soccer circles and the French political scene. Karina Milei, sister of the president Javier Milei and General Secretary of Argentina, apologized at the Embassy of France for the statements made by Victoria Villarruel.

Infobae in Argentina reported that the meeting aimed to cool tensions after Argentine players were put in a bad light following several players signing songs that included racial and homophobic lyrics.

Fallout of Enzo Fernández Video

Since the video was made public, over 10 soccer players, including 7 French players, have unfollowed Enzo Fernandez on Instagram. Many pundits have condemned the actions of the Chelsea midfielder, with the club still investigating the incident.

Teammate Rodrigo De Paul stated on a podcast, “I understand that people who have suffered from racism might not like it. But I think if any of Enzo’s teammates feel offended, the way is to call him, not post it on social media… ‘Unfollowing him seems pointless to me. You can call him and say ‘this isn’t okay, why don’t you post a message apologizing?’, and the issue ends there.”