Lionel Messi will miss Argentina's Copa America showdown with Peru on Saturday, while head coach Lionel Scaloni will also be absent after being handed a touchline ban. (More Football News)
ꦜThe reigning champions have already secured their passage into the quarter-finals with a game to spare following back-to-back wins over Canada and Chile, and a point against Peru will be enough t🦩o secure top spot in Group A.
Therefore, it will provide a welcome opportunity for La Albiceleste to potentially rotate and rest several key players, including skipper Messi, whose absence was coღnfirmed due to a groin issue.
"Leo had a [groin] problem in the last game and, in this one, he will not be there," Argentina assistant coach Walter Samuel told reporters during his pre-match press𝔍 conference. "We are going to see day by day how it is."
The reigning world champions w꧋ill also have to make do without Scaloni following a sanction by CONMEBOL.
It co🍌mes after Argentina returned late for the second half in successive matches, with the governing body issuing a fine and touchline ban to their head coach, 🍌whose side were initially warned for the first instance.
"We got the news today, it was a shock," Samuel added. "Lionel is upset about this. He want🔯ed to be with tꦦhe team, but we will abide by what CONMEBOL says.
"We consider ourselves to b💖e staff with a lot of professionalism. Sometimes, you're talking about a small detail. We weren't trying to find an advantage. Now, we have to focus on the next match and move forwar𒆙d."
Samu🐻el also shrugged o😼ff suggestions Argentina are favourites to successfully defend their crown in the United States, insisting they are focused very much on the short term.
"Are we the favourites to win th𓂃e Copa America? It's hard to be favourites becaus𝓰e there are many great teams," he said.
"We don't like to say that [we are favourites], we always go with 'game-by-game'. Now, 💞we only think about Peru, and then treat each game like a final."
