Argentina vs. Italy Match Thread – Lineup confirmed

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Argentina’s starting lineup for their match against Italy has been confirmed.

As we stated earlier, no Sergio AGUERO or Lionel MESSI for Jorge SAMPAOLI (not even on the bench) as Giovani LO CELSO of PSG gets the nod. Here’s the confirmed eleven:

CABALLERO; BUSTOS, OTAMENDI, FAZIO, TAGLIAFICO; PAREDES, BIGLIA; LO CELSO, LANZINI, DI MARIA; HIGUAIN

Substitutes:
Sergio ROMERO
Nahuel GUZMAN
Gabriel MERCADO
Javier MASCHERANO
Enzo PEREZ
Marcos ROJO
Angel CORREA
Ever BANEGA
Cristian PAVON
Lautaro MARTINEZ
Diego PEROTTI

77 Comments

  1. 1) Di Maria, a garbage runner and headless chicken. we won the game after he left the field. That tells you a lot.
    2) Higuaín is there because Messi wants him even if he plays shit.
    3) If you think Aguero is better than Higuaín, then you are a fool. Aguero can be our social media expert to Russia with an injured knee.

    4) Without Dybala and Icardi, you can wipe out this world cup today.

  2. Good team, collective football? Forget about Aegentina playing like this when Messi, Di Maria and Aguero will back. Today Di Maria was the only player who (as usually) has played for himself, far from having the team spirit of other players.

  3. Caballero, Lanzini, Parades, Bustos, Tagliafico, Lo Celso, Banega and Perotti really looked good; They played like a team today!! Would like to see their performance against Spain now; Can they build on this and be consistent even with Messi in the middle;
    Some wayward passing from defence & Biglia at times; Would like to see Battaglia or Masche in place of Biglia;

    Finally some good football from ARG under Sampaoli; Martinez should have been brought in as sub for Higuain after the first goal; Dybala, Icardi & Pratto shall be considered; Need some aerial threat in the middle; Icardi/Pratto will add that;

  4. Things I learned from the italy game:
    1) aguero is our #9 , not higuain.
    2) Lanzini and loCelso should and will have good minutes
    3) caballero should continue to start
    4) Bustos is off team; didn’t impress at all; tragliafico and parcedes still need time and should not be on World Cup roster ..
    5) banega bring control and stability to midfield. (I know, I dislike him too but it’s true) I would put him with loCelso as double #5s…
    6) Biglia shouldn’t start
    7)Rojo and Mercado are our starting backs (left and right respectively
    8) We need more speed than just dimaria ; Pavon /Correa need to be introduced in 65th minute to run at tired defenders
    9) otamendi and Fazio Are our starting center defenders
    10) 4-2-3-1
    Aguero
    Dimaria Messi Lanzini
    Banega LoCelso
    Rojo otamendi fazio Mercado
    Caballero

    … just my opinion…

    • What are you talking about? Tagliafico was fantastic, bustos played okay, paredes good(although he made one horrible mistake).
      Overall good game by argentina

    • Seriously you are really blaming Romero! You should be thankful that we reached final and had not been for him … Argentina would be biting the dust in semifinals.

      We have indeed got some shitty fans.

    • WOW, the usual nonsense around here…the high is too high and the low is too low.

      “mildly autistic” Romero!! have a little respect…he always stepped up when called upon in games that counted.

      Good game and the obvious players stepped up and played well. Good win, good game, lets move on and get ready for the ultimate goal.

      Side note, glad to see that the Italians brought their best including the GREAT GiGi and not a bunch of scrubs.

  5. Great game. Thank you! This is the Argentina I want to see. please don’t drop Caballero, Lanzini, Le Celso, Paredes, Bustos, Tagliafico and Perotti and bring in as reserves Pezzella and Dybala. Keep Banega as squad player.

    • Willy IMO should start, as well as Lanzini orLo Celso. And on current form Banega is really hard to bench.

      And I think the team is pressing really really well. This is exactly the shit I expect from a Sampaoli’s team. And I do think this is mostly the squad going to the world cup except for Funes Mori.

      I think Icardi will not be included but Dybala will be. Honestly I will not be mad at all if Icardi isn’t there., as long as Lautaro goes.

      • This is how I am when I see good I praise when I see bad I criticize. I want the best for our team. I am die hard fan. No player is above the team. This game motivated me and relieved me of any stress. Football is meant for being entertaining. I am not interested in backstabbing or politics. I still hold hope for Dybala because he is crucial even coming in from the bench or in case of injury. hopefully he makes Sampaoli change his mind in the next month.

      • banega come from bench…. he not going to press.. pressing done by locelso lanzini and parades… and bustos.. banega and biglia… must come from bench…

      • Yes. He was great going forward but in defense he was letting wingers and strikers behind him and veratti was opening him up with ease.

        tagla on the other hand was really good both offense and defensive wise.

  6. Baldy is acting like he has won the world cup.

    Seriously you have 4 more players to test and instead of brining in lauturo martinez and correa he brings in banega and mercado.

    Makes no sense. I hope this baldy realises how another world cup will be gone to waste with this shitguain. hate that fatty so much.

    • he gave whole 90 minuetes higuain can score … otherwise he can argue… next match martinez will start…. i think more chance higuain going to be omitted… first goal lanzini and locelso played their role… banega just finished… and second goal rocket from lanzini

    • Of Coz when you don’t see and understand his off the ball pressing, you’ll not see Higuains contribution. You’d not get the same from Icardi or Aguero unfortunately.

      • LOL. Aguero is the biggest flop in international stage. Even Arbeloa has more contribution to spain than he has to Argentina.

        Icardi wasn’t given enough chances.

        World cup with this fat loser will end in another messi dramatics.

        • “i like his passinh abilities”

          Like the most of which he passed it to the defenders when making a forward or even forward sideways pass?

  7. Good first half. I did not miss Banega at all. When we pressed like Barça. I’m gonna say now. 2nd half at 70 mins in my time of posting with Banega on the pitch does not resemble anything to the pace of 1st half. Irrespective of the results, tonight I saw a team playing (without Banega). That’s all that matters to me. Looking forward to the WC with hope. I rest my case.

    • been saying long paredes is the guy .but sampaoli didn’t tested meza ,pablo perez , martinez i don’t get this,one thing he kept paredes deep but gave freedom to banega to roam freely thats nepotism. i like how argentina played in the first half.

      • if sampaoli swithced the position of paredes and biglia we could see some more beatiful linkups but biglia was really good today.

  8. Higuain and Di Maria in common:
    -Both of them is not championship material.

    The difference between Higuain and Di Maria:
    – The headless chicken can be useful under very disciplined tactics (Jose M. used him well in RMD)
    – The choke garbage is always useless.

  9. Guys if higuain plays awful then you guys should be happy.if he plays awful in this 2 friendlies then sampa may change his mind about higuain and at least don’t start him in WC .aguero is a world class striker we already know that and he may start in WC so higuain is not a big problem.

      • this wc he will be superb im confident previous tourney he was either injured or not match fit bt pep giving some rest as he rotating him for jesus

  10. The same old shit from Higuain. This guy is an absolute shite player if i have seen one. Awful passing, positioning, can’t score any goals against a top team. worthless garbage.

    Lanzini, bustos, tagla, paredes have been quite good. and so has been biglia.

  11. DIMARIA PROVES HE NEEDS TO BE IN THE LINE UP ALL THE TIME. WE NEED TO TAKE HIGUIAN OUT OTHERWISE ARGENTINA WILL NEVER WIN A WORLD CUP CAUSE THERE WILL BE SOME GAMES WHERE A STRIKER WOULD ONLY HAVE 1 CLEAR CHANCE TO SCORE AND WE ALL KNOW HIGUAIN IS NOT GOING TO PUT PAVON DYBALY SOMEONE ELSE PLEASE

    • I think he is preferred because of defensive stability we don’t have busquets type dm sadly I prefer to start mascherano

  12. I really like what I saw. Good to see Caballero. I like the central defense. Just bring in Pezzella and Rojo and we are settle there. I really like the fullbacks, refreshing to see. Le Celso, Paredes, Lanzini are must in my opinion. Sampaoli find a way to play them. Sometimes frustrated with Di maria. Please Sampaoli bring Dybala in the Squad and maybe Icardi and we are ready to win the World cup. I finally enjoyed a game from us.

    • Ya

      What was most refreshing to see the team is having a purpose. The midfielders know what is their job, fullbacks are fullbacks and not central backs, wingers are wingers and striker is the striker.

      The idea is fantastic with the tactics is good. Refreshing match after a long long while.

    • That will build in 1 month training before WC that’s massive we may struggle initially in WC but will be alright I guess

  13. I saw a team today!!… Some good pressing & recovery from ARG; Don’t know how would they perform with Messi;
    Apart from Higuain, most of them are really impressive (considering this is there 1st match as starters)

  14. What a game Fazio is having! absolute rock. Holding the offside line pretty well.
    Lo Celso & Paredes playing well. Both full backs are doing well too. Top class pressing and slick passing from the lads. Very happy to see Caballero in action. Let’s see what happens in the 2nd half.

    • What about defending of bustos and tagliafico?? In WC we have to face fast and technical wingers can they adapt?? What about Fazio?? Every body saying he is slow like a snail can he manage fast forwards?? What you think

  15. MANY of them argue why lanzini//// he is the wonderful player he showed.. with his tackle and he hardly loose the ball unlike dimaria… lo celso lacks final pass otherwise he dominate with the ball… asusual no use ass fu***8 biglia… side pass back pass… irratating… sampolli take him out put pavon on the wing… this midfield i want from many matches ago… lanzini—-parades—-locelso…

    parades good with long pass and forward pass… expecially long shot… bustos.. no use.. but good some time… taglifico… getting better… on every touch.. otamendi and fazio.. very good… take those choker out higuain and biglia.. then goal will come sampolli thinking why he left icardi and dybala.. and bring martinez and perroti too

      • he played unusual position… but when he played on the left side he got goal… thats what lanzini do… he will link messi with quick one too… no one does better than him… locelso —-parades —-lanzini midfield what argentina need….

    • How is the defence?? Italy made any good attacking move?? Everybody saying Fazio is slow.is it the case?? And what about defending of tagliafico and bustos??

      • otamendi and fazio good they hold the line well… and they helped by youngster in the track back… and bustos and taglifico pace is helped in the defence.. no threat in the wing… and they deal aerial duel easily…

        what is important thing is bustos replacement we dont have.. marcado is defending right back.. taglifico replacement acuna… he dont have postion understanding… thats worrying thing for me… if both stays injury free. .. then we can use this formation whole tournment…

        • i still prefer mercado as right back as in wc defensive stability will be vital in wc and bustos little bit weak in defending and inexperience playing 2 inexperienced fullbacks will be a risk

    • So true. That last chance, any world class player should buried. What joke and curse hugain is to Argentina. Atleast Di maria involve in the play and show grid, Hugain is waiting for easiest finish. Hence I want Messi to play closer to goal. Messi’s decision making is the best and always tends to think a second before defender and goal keeper.

  16. Hugain missing chances. Save Argentina from Hugain Curse. He destroy three chances alone in first half. Dog shit.

    • Ahaha, Argentina can only create danger when Di Maria is on the ball, that brilliant through pass in the end, his shots, crosses, the others just pass pass pass without any danger, the only player who can create without Messi at the highest level, that the sad true

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