World
Cup 2018: Argentina coach plots Nigeria downfall without Messi
Published June 23, 2018
Festus Abu
Argentina
manager Jorge Sampaoli is reportedly planning changes for his team’s
crucial match against Nigeria in St. Petersburg on Tuesday.
Sampaoli,
who has come under immense pressure as the two-time world champions risk an
early exit from the Russia 2018 World Cup following their 1-1 draw against
Iceland and a 3-0 defeat by Croatia, has been putting his players
through their paces experimenting on a 4-3-3 formation without much reliance on
Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi.
The
South Americans who arrived in Russia as one the favourites need a win
over Nigeria to reach the second round.
The
former Chile coach Sampaoli, was let down by his Chelsea goalkeeper Willy
Caballero’s two high-profile errors against Croatia at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium
on Thursday, is set to drop the veteran keeper in favour of his understudy
Franco Armani of River Plate.
Argentine
daily sports magazine Ole published a picture revealing Sampaoli’s starting
X1 against Nigeria at their training base in Bronnitsy on
Saturday.
In
the picture, the scribbles on the notebook showed two seven-a-side teams facing
each other, excluding Messi.
According
to reports in the Argentine media, other players likely to be dropped for the
clash by the 58-year-old are Manchester City forward
Sergio Aguero, Roma midfielder Lucas Biglia, and Sporting Lisbon defender
Marcos Acuna.
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