Full group schedule: Monday, June 14 -- 18:00 Argentina - Chile -- Río de Janeiro (Estadio Olimpico Nilton Santos) Friday, June 18 -- 21:00 Argentina - Uruguay -- Brasilia (Estadio Nacional Mané Garrincha) Monday, June 21 -- 21:00 Argentina - Paraguay -- Brasilia (Estadio Naiconal Mané Garrincha) Monday, June 28 -- 21:00 Bolivia - Argentina -- Cuiabá (Arena Pantanal) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- With this bizarre Copa format, we're practically already qualified to the knockout stage since all but one team will make it out of the group. Unless something reaaaally strange happens, we don't really have to sweat this first stage. Hopefully Scaloni uses the opportunity to polish up the team..
I don't know if anyone is interested in this but I find it interesting. Itinerary (according to TyC) 6/13 - Morning Training and then evening flight to Rio Monday, 6/14 - Match Day (vs Chile) and then flight back to Ezeiza 6/15 - 6/17 - Training, then evening flight to Brasilia Friday, 6/18 - Match Day (vs Uruguay) 6/19 - 6/20 - Base Camp in Brasilia Monday, 6/21 - Match Day (vs Paraguay) and then flight back to Ezeiza 6/22 - 6/27 - Training, then flight to Cuiaba Monday, 6/28 - Match Day (vs Bolivia)
Like the squad - super excited for the tournament. Messi is in a bit of a barren run with the NT - only 4 goals in his last 16 competitive games, with 3 of them being penalties. Hopefully we can get him to fire.
My realistic prediction... 1. We will survive the group stage 2. Otamendi will cost us some goals with his trademark fouls. 3. Messi to score a few from the spots 4. At least 1-2 key players who's playing well will get injured. 5. PCR test will cost us even more players 6. Brazil will have another extra man like in 2019. 7. All my predictions above will proven to be wrong.
Apparently Julian Alvarez could still be registered in replacement for Alario due to injury. I hear he hasn’t even been sent home yet and is still training with the NT, as they wait to see how Lucas evolves.
Afa hizo el pedido formal a Conmebol para cambiar a Alario por Julián Álvarez en al lista de buena fe de la Copa América.— Luis Fregossi (@LuisFregossi) June 11, 2021
The drama never ends. Reports that the "official" list released yesterday for the Argentina squad is not the official one. Rumors that one goalkeeper could be dropped. If Armani is fit, Musso or Marchesin will get cut. If Armani is not fit, Armani will get cut.— Roy Nemer (@RoyNemer) June 11, 2021
Nevermind... Argentina Copa America squad confirmed. Julian Alvarez in with Lucas Alario out. pic.twitter.com/OjYVxJ2x0q— Roy Nemer (@RoyNemer) June 11, 2021
At least sub Messi out later in the game if we have the lead. Put in someone who will run and press. This will immensely help our midfield and defence. Also De Paul. That Colombia game was painful to see how tired he was. Could have been much better to get fresh legs in. Seems like these 2 guys are a lock for the full 90 minutes when they shouldn't be.
http://www.theguardian.com/football...aul-messi-surprised-me-he-enjoys-a-song-cards Outstanding read (article not about Messi) - but De Paul and his frame of mind for Argentina and the fans. Loved this guy’s take.
Lowe is a great journalist. A Britt who moved to Spain and covered Spanish football. A bit like Vickery(Who I’m a bit critical of at times) who moved to Brasil and covered South American football, even though he specializes Bra than the rest of the continent.
Armani is still getting positives in his Covid testing. I have a feeling this will be the starting XI vs Chile ----------------Martinez Montiel---Quarta---Otamendi---Acuna -----------------Paredes ------De Paul-----------Lo Celso Messi---------Lautaro---------Gonzalez
Holy $hit, one of the local channel in my country just announced it will air CA 2021 in all sudden! Last time it was aired was in 2016, they didnt air the 2019 edition nor the 2018 and 2022 qualifiers. Now I can watch it with ease
I’ve talked about the lack of goals for sometime now. And perhaps even more so that our forwards this season had mediocre seasons. Had the tournament taken place that year, everybody was on fire, Ocampos, Dybala , Kun(Had a productive year) and etc. But at that end of the day, a goal is a goal right now. But I agree, the build-up needs to be more fluid. We just have to face that fact that Otamendi will be in this tournament and we can hope it will be his last. I’m hoping Chino plays well, he had up and moments this year in Italy. Perhaps he needs to be more consistent. But the talent is there. I’m much more comfortable with him in the defense than Pazzella, who is far too slow. As for the 4 GKs, we’ve talked about this. Perhaps, it does have to do with injury or COVID. Maybe, if we do have 4, and if one goes down with an injury and another gets COVID, we won’t be down to a single GK and who knows if we can call somebody up then. But whatever, I’m not sure if another outfield would’ve made a huge difference. It is not like we are leaving somebody out who was going to make an immediate impact. Scaloni and the crew, who I trust probably saw things in training that they did not like. Ocampos who I had HIGH hopes for has fallen back to earth. He had a great 19-20 season, we can only hope he picks up his play and can make another run to the national side.
Lol, my prediction is we will get to next stage but lose on pens in knockout stage. Brazil will win Copa and if, even for one minute, it looks as if they are struggling in a match the ref will award them 5 pens.
CONMEBOL ended up announcing two days ago that any player(s) that contracts COVID during the tournament could be replaced, after Venezuela had a breakout right before their match vs Brazil. They ended up playing that opening game with an emergency team. I wonder if Scaloni would have still taken 4 GKs if he had known they would add this late, unprecedented rule. Still, as you say, having a 25th outfield player really wouldn’t change much, although we could have easily taken Enzo Perez with that spot
Im not going to rule that out.Their pcr test eliminated almost the entire Venezuela starting line up.
The boys look very UNINSPIRED while lining up for the National Anthem. It must suck to be in Brazil and travel when they were expecting this tournament at home.