Lionel Messi-led Argentina’s Kerala tour now in doubt? What Gastón Edul said about friendly in India

Preparations are in full swing in Kochi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium ahead of the international friendly between Australia and Lionel Messi-led Argentina in November. Rs 70 crore-worth renovation works were to be finished on a war footing, and the shops in and around the stadium were asked to close for a month ahead of the fixture scheduled for November 17. Managing Director of Reporter TV Anto Augustine had claimed that the Kaloor stadium will be modified to international standards before Argentina's friendly fixture next month.

 

Meanwhile, in a fresh development on Thursday morning, noted Argentine journalist Gastón Edul in an X post claimed that there are serious doubts about the national team’s fixture in India going ahead as planned. The tour of Angola is expected to go through as planned, but the one in India "fell through," he said. The upcoming tours of the world champions may miss some of the big names, he added.

 

It was earlier declared by the sponsors that a full-strength Argentina squad will be arriving in Kerala. Gaffer Lionel Scaloni and captain Messi was expected to come with 16 other World Cup winners. Emiliano Martínez, Alexis Mac Allister, Rodrigo De Paul, Nicolás Otamendi, Julián Álvarez were all said to be landing in the football-crazy southern state.

FULL REPORT | Argentina squad for Kerala friendly: Lionel Messi and Alexis Mac Allister of course, but is Emiliano Martinez coming to Kochi?

"Argentina’s next matches are in November, between the 10th and the 19th. The match in India fell through. The one against Angola is confirmed. López and Aníbal Moreno played and linked up well. The next tour will not include some of the regulars, and Scaloni will continue experimenting," the translation of Gastón Edul’s post read. The line referring to the Kerala match in his original Spanish post went like this: “Se cayó el partido en India”. This literally means “the match in India fell through”—a Spanish idiom meaning the plan was dropped or called off.

Jose Manuel “Flaco” Lopez is a forward who plays for Palmeiras and was recently called up by Scaloni. Aníbal Moreno is his Palmeiras teammate who is predominantly a midfielder. The South American side is expected to play in Luanda in November as part of Angola's 50th independence celebrations.

Who is Gastón Edul?

 

Gastón Edul rose to international prominence for his coverage of the Argentina national football team, particularly during their victorious 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The sports journalist and television reporter is known for being the pitch-side and locker room reporter who had exclusive access to the team and captain Lionel Messi during the Qatar campaign.

 

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