Batista releases list for Spain friendly. Zanetti and Cambiasso are back.

ARQUEROS
Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar - Holanda)
Mariano Andújar (Catania - Italia)
Agustín Marchesín (Lanús - Argentina)
DEFENSORES
Martín Demichelis (Bayern Munich - Alemania)
Walter Samuel (Inter - Italia)
Nicolás Burdisso (Inter - Italia)
Gabriel Heinze (Olimpique de Marsella - Francia)
Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City - Inglaterra)
Gabriel Milito (Barcelona - España)
Javier Zanetti (Inter - Italia)
MEDIOCAMPISTAS
Javier Mascherano (Liverpool - Inglaterra)
Fernando Gago (Real Madrid - España)
Ever Banega (Valencia - España)
Ángel Di María (Real Madrid - España)
Esteban Cambiasso (Inter - Italia)
Mario Bolatti (Fiorentina - Italia)
Andrés D'Alessandro (Inter - Brasil)
DELANTEROS
Gonzalo Higuaín (Real Madrid - España)
Carlos Tevez (Manchester City - Inglaterra)
Sergio Agüero (Atlético Madrid - España)
Lionel Messi (Barcelona - España)
Diego Milito (Inter - Italia)
Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli - Italia)

Really? No Pastore???????????????????????????

Mascherano, Gago, Banega,Cambiasso,Bollati.... 5 out of the 6 mid's play the same position.
might be a bit much.

That's the first thing I thought. If Pastore was there instead of Bolatti it would be almost perfect.

Seems Batista is counting on Banega? Who's going to be the midfield playmaker?

Also, Gabriel Milito is also back.

Possible lineups?

D'Alessandro could be the playmaker.

--------------Romero
-Zabaleta-Milito-Samuel-Zanetti
------Mascherano---Banega
---Messi---D'Alessandro--DiMaria
----------------Higuain

I always thought D'Alessandro is in the same category as Aimar... will never able to carried the team... but let see how he play, I think the last time he played was 5 years ago?

No Perotti and Pastore

http://www.ole.com.ar/seleccion/acerca-seleccion_0_320368082.html


What the hell is this? I understand the headline is saying Riquelme returns against Spain, but he's not on the list?

It's a joke, Roman will be there against Spain but as a fan in the stands to cheer the team on

It also states that he and Iniesta are very good friends since their time at barça. They talk to eachother every day apparently.

THIS ^ is a line up

I love it, more drama and more Soap Operas!

"Who has killed Javier Pastore?"

"D'Alessandro comes back from the dead"

"Roman shows up out of nowhere, can it be? Is he coming back to his former love, La Seleccion?"

Staid tuned till the next friendly to see and hear the outcomes of these stories... Duhn Duhn Duhn



On a serious note,okay my initial thoughts are happy to see Pupi back, and Cambiasso. G.Milito in the back should be great,I hope he pairs up with Samuel and Pupi can play either side. I hope we say a new lineup, hope he does pull an "El Diego" when he calls new faces and does not even play them. So I hope to see Pupi,D'Alessandro,G.Milito starting.

The first thing that struck me was the inclusion (again) of Demichelis (AGAIN).

Then i thought the same as you and Futbol Jonz.

I think it says more about the style of game we'll see from argentina then anything else. While a "fantasista" for lack of a better term, is really not included save for D' Alessandro (who has clearly and comfortably assumed the creator role for the Copa Lib champions), all of those guys, pariculalrly Banega and Gago, excel at maintaining posession and competently assisting in the movement of the ball.

It also appears to me, IMO, that he wants to provide Zanetti and Cambiasso the opportunity to get the praise and lauding they deserve in front of the home fans.

No Pastore, what the f**k is going on, he is our brightest hope in midfield and he's not even in the squad.

its evident this has to do with the ordeal surround the U20's with Batista/Pastore/Huracan.

That is why he didn't play against Ireland and why hes not here today.

The thing is, I am not nearly as mad as I would have been had Maradona left him out. It is just so much easier to flip out about Diego's lists

I thin D'Allesandro is an interesting option and I am very happy to see Pupi back. Even if it is just a good-bye match, good for Batista after El Diego treated a class act like a pieace of ******** ever since he stripped of the captaincy and then ultimately left him out

Are we ever going to be able to move past petty fights and just play the damn game. Another coach that is going to pick and choose based on how he likes players instead of the skill they have?

Okay...one of the better list's I have seen. Of course now we don't have many creative midfielders. Di Maria isn't it, and D'Allessandro will prove in the seleccion.

Pastore has been on fire. If Batista also is going to hold grudges, then he is not the man for the job.

What are these grudges you speak of between Pastore and Batista?

I really like this list for the game against Spain. I wonder what could have been if Diego took these players to the World Cup...

The only thing that I would change is Bolatti and D'alessandro, for Pastore and Aimar. And for Copa America I would throw in Riquelme if he is able to return to good form.

However the defense is too old for the next World Cup. Who should play defense in the next WC? Zabaleta is the only youngster and he can play RB. Maybe we could have one veteran playing CB: Burdisso/Samuel/G. Milito. But who should be the other CB? Garay/Angeleri? And who should play left back? Ansaldi?

The defense has a lot of question marks for the next world cup, and I hope the new players can get enough experience together. But I like how the midfield and forwards are shaping up. And I hope we see Pastore in a future list.

Oh I don't know ----- guys here are saying something happened when Pastore was playing for Huracan, and Huracan would not release him, which upset Batista. Maybe someone here can shed light on it.

I dont think there's a grudge dude, it's only the second game since world cup and Batista might just trying to add some players that has been overlooked for quite sometimes. There's not many coach on the planet that is as dumb and nonsense as Diego.

Its a good list but no Pastore is a huge question mark and i still have question marks all over that back line! the only change is Millito and Zabaleta everyone else is the same? and why is Bolatti ahead of Pastore? i understand hes trying to bring CMS to the team but Bolatti? really?