World Cup damage historical past repeats for Argentina as Scaloni stays coy about Di Maria health for Dutch conflict

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni gave an replace on Angel di Maria and Rodrigo De Paul’s availability for the World Cup quarter-final towards the Netherlands.

New Delhi,UPDATED: Dec 8, 2022 21:21 IST

Argentina boss Scaloni stays coy about Di Maria health for Netherlands conflict (Reuters)

By India Today Web Desk: Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni remained coy when he was requested if Angel Di Maria and Rodrigo De Paul could be out there for his or her World Cup quarterfinal towards the Netherlands on Thursday. Di Maria missed the last-16 win over Australia because of damage, and midfielder De Paul’s health is questionable.

Argentina will face the Netherlands on Friday in a rematch of their 2014 semi-final match in Brazil, which Argentina gained on penalties after a 0-0 draw after 120 minutes. The two nations have met 5 instances in World Cup historical past, together with 1978 remaining, which Argentina gained 3-1 after further time. Argentina has by no means gained a 90-minute match towards the Dutch.

“In principle, they’re feeling well and we will see in today’s training and come up with a lineup,” he advised a information convention.

“Yesterday, we trained behind closed doors so I don’t know where this information is coming from … (but) the team comes first, so if you’re out on the field, you must be fit so that you can help the team.”

“We know that our team will break their backs as we have done in previous games. Sometimes we’ve played very well, sometimes not that well, but we have always stood up for ourselves and that’s the thing that our people value.

Scaloni would also not be drawn on whether he preferred to play arch-rivals Brazil or Croatia in the semi-finals if Argentina gets through and said he felt the tournament was still wide open.

Since Louis van Gaal returned to the helm for the third time in August of last year, the Netherlands have gone unbeaten in 19 games. Van Gaal was also in charge when the Netherlands narrowly missed out on a fourth World Cup final. Instead, an Argentinean team led by Alejandro Sabella advanced before losing 1-0 to Germany in extra time in the final.

“It is a really, very skinny line. We can’t actually inform who’re the favourites and who can win it. We are speaking about evenly matched nationwide groups.”

Published On:

Dec 8, 2022