Jun 25, 2024; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Argentina forward Lionel Messi (10) plays the ball against Chile defender Gabriel Suazo (2) during the second half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Vincent Carchietta
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Argentina captain and Inter Miami star Lionel Messi may not play in the Copa America game against Peru Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium, which surely would disappoint the expected sellout crowd.
The Argentine team clinched a spot in the quarterfinals late Tuesday night with a 1-0 win against Chile in front of 80,000 fans at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Coach Lionel Scaloni said after the game that with a berth in the knockout round in hand, he plans to rest many starters for the third group stage game against Peru, which would indicate that Messi would not be in the lineup.
“Players who have not had a chance to play in the first two games will get a chance to play because I need to see them and because they deserve it,” Scaloni said.
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Messi’s status for the game might have been in question anyway because he appeared to suffer an upper right thigh injury early in the Chile match. He had it worked on by a trainer, but remained in the game and played the full 90 minutes. According to TyC Sports, he was undergoing tests to determine the severity of the injury.
Asked about Messi’s injury, Scaloni said: “I didn’t speak with him after the game. He ended up playing through. You saw he had the 50-meter sprint there with Angel (DiMaria) and Lautaro (Martinez) and it’s the last image I have (in my mind). I can’t say more because I haven’t seen him.”
Miami Herald sportswriter Michelle Kaufman has covered 14 Olympics, six World Cups, Wimbledon, U.S. Open, NCAA Basketball Tournaments, NBA Playoffs, Super Bowls and has been the soccer writer and University of Miami basketball beat writer for 25 years. She was born in Frederick, Md., and grew up in Miami.
Source link : https://amp.miamiherald.com/sports/copa-america/article289538512.html
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Publish date : 2024-06-26 01:11:00
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