The coach of Argentina, Lionel Scalonispoke after the triumph of the Argentine team against Austria and the classification to the 16th finals. At a press conference, mentioned the missed penalty by Messi and revealed what he said to the players during the hydration break – which took place minutes after the non-conversion -.
“It was still a blow. The team had done two or three good things. The penalty play was very good. Completing it would have been wonderful. We had the feeling that if we scored that goal it would have been different. But we were able to reverse it too. It’s a blow not to convert, but when Leo activates, everyone activates,” he said.
And he detailed: “In the hydration break I told them that there were things to improve, that by being patient moving the ball from one side to the other we would find the passes. At one point in the first half they did not want to go out. There was no need to rush. If the play had to last two minutes, it will last two minutes.”
Among other performances, such as that of Mac Allister, Otamendi and Medina, the Argentine star’s commitment on the field stood out. “I think that even today, when the team was suffering from not having the ball, he worked, he stole a ball for one of the scoring plays. You could see that he was committed. That’s for a reason. It’s impressive what he generates. I don’t know anything else to say about him. Even tired“, he said between laughs.
When analyzing the match in Dallas, the coach from Pujato used the word “suffering.” “We suffer, but we know how to suffer. That is a credit to the team, which knew what to do. He is a complicated rival, very tall and physical. Happy to have qualified. It seemed like it was going to be easy, but no,” he remarked.
And he established a parallel with the duel against Algeria: “It was very similar, quite similar, with a rival that has top players, who play in great teams and who make things difficult for you. Physically I think they are fine. Today the physical and emotional state play a lot. “I don’t see it so different from the last game.”
He also referred to the early departure of Cuti Romerowho left the field at 55 minutes due to discomfort in his right leg. “We don’t know the scope of his issue. It was something he had been having. Let’s hope it’s nothing, not just because it’s important. It’s always better to have them all,” Scaloni admitted.
Finally, with an eye on the next stage of the tournament, he was asked about the favorites to win the World Cup – among them, France, Spain and Portugal – and if you think that Argentina is one of them.
“There are a lot of teams that can be world champions. There are at least seven or eight that are ready to compete. The World Cup is not about favoritism, it is about the psychological, the physical. There are so many teams that I am sure that some great one is going to win. We are also going to fight that fight, but it is going to be hard for everyone. “They face us as much as we face them,” said the coach.
