Surely those privileged fans will not care that this Thursday they can get their tickets for the first friendly of the
Argentine National Team
as world champion, but there is an important detail regarding the match on March 23:
Panama will travel to Buenos Aires without its coach and with a B-team packed with players who perform in their local league
.
This was reported this Wednesday by the Panamanian Football Federation (Fepafut), which revealed the list of 20 footballers summoned for a trip that will surely be unforgettable, but that its main exponents on the field will be lost due to calendar issues.
What happened?
The Spanish-Danish coach Thomas Christiansen
explains it
: "For me it would be exciting to go to Argentina to face the world champion, against Messi and company, but it is not the priority. I will not
go to Argentina
, because for me the priority is the Nations League and I don't want to play it in any way".
Thomas Christiansen, DT of Panama.
Photo: EFE/Jose Mendez
The coach then arranged for his starting team to stay in Panama to prepare for the match against Costa Rica
on March 28
, for the Concacaf Nations League.
The decision was made last week and, perhaps, caused the delay in the official announcement of ticket sales by the AFA, since the signing of the contract was also delayed.
Six players
who are active in foreign clubs plus 14 who play in the Panamanian Soccer League were included in the squad
list , although the base of the team that competed in the past World Cup Qualifiers for Qatar 2022 will not be there.
Among the 'foreign' soccer players,
Martín Morán
from FK Etar VT from Bulgaria,
Iván Anderson
from Venezuela's Monagas,
Richard Peralta
from Deportivo La Guaira,
Cristian Quintero
from La Luz from Uruguay,
Jiovany Ramos
from Deportivo Táchira and
Alfredo Stephens
, who plays for the Puerto Cabello Academy of Venezuela.
Those chosen for the clash against the Argentines will begin training next Sunday, on the field of the Los Andes Sports Complex, in the San Miguelito district, in the Panamanian capital.
The DT who will travel with the team on Tuesday will be an old acquaintance for Argentina:
Jorge Dely Valdés
, who between 1986 and 1990 played for Central Norte de Salta, Deportivo Paraguayo and El Porvenir, and is now in charge of the Sub 20 of his country.
Photo: EFE/Jose Mendez
The call of Panama
Goalkeepers
: Emerson Dimas (CD Plaza Amador, PAN), and José Guerra (San Francisco FC, PAN).
Defenders
: Iván Anderson (Monagas, VEN), Michael Casazola (Sporting San Miguelito, PAN), Edgardo Fariña (CD Universitario, PAN), Kevin Galván (Sporting San Miguelito, PAN), Gilberto Hernández (CAI, PAN), Richard Peralta ( Deportivo La Guaira, VEN) and Jiovany Ramos (Deportivo Táchira, VEN).
Midfielders
: Ricardo Ávila (CD Universitario, PAN), Omar Browne (Tauro FC, PAN), Miguel Camargo (Tauro FC, PAN), Irving Gudiño (Tauro FC, PAN), Víctor Medina (Tauro FC, PAN), Martín Morán ( FK Etar VT, BUL), José Murillo (CD Plaza Amador, PAN), Cristian Quintero (La Luz, URU) and Jorge Serrano (CAI, PAN).
Forwards
: Ronaldo Córdoba (Herrera FC, PAN) and Alfredo Stephens (Puerto Cabello Academy, VEN).
look too
Tickets for Argentina vs Panama: when the sale starts, price, where and how to buy them
"12 Lucas la popular": controversy over ticket prices to see Messi in the Argentine National Team
Dani Alves in prison: Joana Sanz announced her separation from the Brazilian with a heartbreaking letter, written in her own handwriting
