Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni has confirmed that Paris Saint-Germain star Lionel Messi will be joining his squad for the World Cup qualifiers.
Lionel Messi has been out of action for PSG for quite some time now and is reportedly still nursing a minor injury. However, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni shut down claims that the six-time Ballon d'Or winner is unlikely to play for his national side's international fixtures.
“Leandro [Messi] trained normally. We have to evaluate whether we will include him in the final call,” Scaloni said in a press conference via Goal.
“He arrived after many days off, but the important thing is that he is coming along well,” he added.
Prior to Scaloni's confirmation, PSG director Leonardo was fuming at Argentina's decision to still include Messi into its lineup for the World Cup qualifiers despite the fact that the player is still hurt.
For Leonardo, it was “not logical” for Argentina to pressure Messi and he wants something done about it. Hoping to finally find a solution to it, the PSG chief even called out the governing bodies of FIFA to formally address the issue.
“We do not agree to let a player [Messi] go by selection who, for us, is not in physical condition or who is in the rehabilitation phase,” Leonardo earlier told French newspaper Le Parisien.
“It is not logical, and these types of situations deserve a real agreement with FIFA,” he emphasized.
Argentina will be hoping to have a healthier Messi on the pitch as the side faces Brazil for the World Cup qualifiers.
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