Copa América: Lionel Messi Doubtful For Argentina Ahead Of Quarterfinal Against Ecuador

Lionel Messi’s availability for Thursday’s Copa América quarter-final against Ecuador is uncertain as coach Lionel Scaloni says he will wait before deciding on his team.

The World Cup-winning coach said the lineup would be determined after the evening training session, in which Messi took part.

“We will train in a couple of hours, and then we will decide. One more day is always better, yesterday we had good sensations and today we will decide. Based on today’s answer [In training], we will decide if Messi plays,” he said in a news conference before practice.

Messi missed Argentina’s last group stage match, a 2-0 victory against Peru on June 29, due to a right leg injury he picked up in the 1-0 win over Chile. He was considered “day-to-day” before resuming training earlier this week.

Scaloni expects to have an individual conversation with Messi after the last session and before the match to further understand his physical status.

“I haven’t spoken with him about the situation, I will talk to him today given it’s match day -1,” Scaloni said. “I thought it was fair that he took his time and trained as much as possible. After talking, we will decide. I haven’t talked to him, so we don’t know if he will play.”

Scaloni is uncertain about the lineup for the match against Ecuador, but he emphasized that the choice to start specific offensive players over others will not be influenced by Messi’s presence.

“It’s never been that way. It alters when Leo doesn’t play, it alters everyone, not just me,” Scaloni said. “We will try for him to be there, and if not we will find the best for the team. He’s game by game, and the team will conform to the rival.”

Lionel Scaloni on Lautaro Martínez and Julián Álvarez Partnership

Lautaro Martínez and Julián Álvarez partnered up in a previous match against Ecuador in a pre-Copa America friendly on June 9, guiding the team to a 1-0 victory while Messi observed from the sidelines.

Scaloni warned against overanalyzing that friendly ahead of the knockout match tomorrow, saying “Every game has its own story.”

“They’ve played together against this rival, and we will decide after today’s training,” Scaloni said. “They’ve worked well, and it’s an option. But we will see how everyone is today, especially Leo, and we will see.

“That game has nothing to do with [the friendly result]. It’s a completely different game, with different players I imagine. But every game has its own story. We analyzed and watched the game, but we think it’ll be different. No game is the same, but we will play similarly.”

However, Ecuador manager, Félix Sánchez said his team studied the June 9 game, as well as other matches against Argentina when preparing for the quarterfinal.

“We know the team we face is of maximum level, Messi is a differential player, the one that marks the most difference today,” Sánchez said. “But Argentina’s game model doesn’t change much with or without him. They’ve been with Scaloni for a while and developed a signature playing style with and without Messi on the field.

“We cannot repeat the game we had against [Argentina] in Chicago. We have analyzed that game, and all we’ve faced against them.”

The teams will compete at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, on Thursday. The victorious team will progress to the semifinals at Metlife Stadium in Eastutherford, New Jersey on July 9th.