Once again, Lionel Messi’s Argentina squad has been hit by last-minute injuries, forcing head coach Lionel Scaloni to adjust the roster. Ahead of World Cup Qualifiers against Paraguay and Peru, Argentina are now down another player due to injuries: first German Pezzella, who has already been replaced, and now Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez.
Martinez’s absence was confirmed shortly after Pezzella’s, as he’s still dealing with a hip injury sustained while playing for his club. After evaluating his condition, Scaloni and Argentina’s medical team made the decision to sideline him for both upcoming matches.
In response, Argentina announced on social media that Facundo Medina from France’s Lens would join the squad. The versatile center-back can also play on the left, providing Scaloni additional options in defense. So far, Medina is the only replacement called up for Argentina’s injured players.
This marks the third injury-related loss for Argentina since the roster was initially announced. The first to go down was Nicolas Gonzalez, who suffered a quad strain in early October and hasn’t seen any action with Juventus since.
Facundo Medina of Argentina kicks the ball during the international friendly between Indonesia and Argentina at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium. Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty Images
Medina’s return to Argentina’s lineup
Medina rejoins the national team after a year, having previously appeared for Scaloni in some matches. As a left-footed defender, he provides both central and left-back coverage—a valuable asset for Scaloni, who has only Nicolas Tagliafico listed at left-back.
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The Lens defender has three caps with Argentina, two of which came during World Cup Qualifiers, while his last appearance was in June 2023 in a friendly against Indonesia.
Argentina’s upcoming matches
Messi and his team are set to face Paraguay at Defensores del Chaco Stadium on Thursday, November 14, and then will host Peru at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, November 19.
Currently, Argentina lead the CONMEBOL standings with 22 points, followed by Colombia with 19. Paraguay sit in sixth place with 13 points and are in need of a win to stay in contention, while Peru, second-to-last with just six points, face the threat of early elimination.
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Argentina’s adjusted roster after the recent changes
With Medina joining the team and the trio of injured players officially out, Scaloni’s revised roster for the Paraguay and Peru matchups is as follows:
- Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martínez, Walter Benítez, Gerónimo Rulli.
- Defenders: Nahuel Molina, Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, Leonardo Balerdi, Nicolás Otamendi, Nehuén Pérez, Facundo Medina, Nicolás Tagliafico.
- Midfielders: Enzo Fernández, Leandro Paredes, Exequiel Palacios, Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Giovani Lo Celso, Enzo Barrenechea, Thiago Almada, Facundo Buonanotte, Nicolás Paz.
- Forwards: Lionel Messi, Alejandro Garnacho, Julián Álvarez, Lautaro Martínez, Valentín Castellanos.
