The
Argentine National Team
is preparing for the FIFA match window, in which it will play in the United States against
El Salvador
and
Costa Rica
on the 22nd and 27th of the current month, respectively.
Last Friday,
Lionel Scaloni
gave the squad list but this Tuesday he had to make a change due to force majeure, and there was a surprise.
The former San Lorenzo,
Marcos Senesi
, suffered an injury at the weekend playing for Bournemouth, in the Premier League, so Scaloni had to take him off the tour and name a replacement: it is
Nicolás Valentini
, the young defender of Boca who started with the Albiceleste in the South American Sub 23 that qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The name of the
Viking
, 22 years old,
It surprised everyone and everyone, and it has to do with Scaloni's idea of giving younger players some training and training who can be considered for the future, in events that are of low demand, such as these friendlies against third and fourth level teams in global consideration: El Salvador occupies 81st place in the FIFA ranking, while Costa Rica is at 54th. For the kid, the challenge will be to train alongside Messi, Di María and company, and try on the Major League shirt for the first time. once in his life.
However, Scaloni's call to Valentini did not go unnoticed on football debate programs.
And one of those who expressed his astonishment at the DT's decision was Gustavo López, host of López 910 in the mornings of Radio La Red. "You have to nudge them to get called up," the journalist ironically said, referring to the last match of the footballer playing for Boca.
Valentini, starter in the Argentine National Team that qualified for Paris 2024. Photo: EFE/ Rayner Peña R.
The 1.84 meter tall blonde had an irregular match against Belgrano in the Bombonera, and it was difficult for him to score against
Lucas Passerini
, the also large (1.89 meters) forward of the Córdoba team.
In one action he went all out from behind, impacting his elbow against the back of the forward's neck, playing to the limit of the regulations.
"Scaloni dear... (Gastón) Hernández, from San Lorenzo, plays ten times better than Valentini. It's a shame, really," López complained, without a filter.
He then stated that the coach is dazzled by the flashes of the biggest teams in Argentine soccer.
"How River and Boca motivate them, how easy they make it, (Valentini) is Boca's fourth defender, behind Rojo, Figal and Lema," the journalist said.
And he continued, with more sticks to Pujato's coach: "Scaloni, come on... Being a world champion doesn't allow you anything. How are you going to bring Valentini to the Senior National Team? Why does he play for Boca? Does he watch the games? from San Lorenzo, Scaloni? Or are you looking at Liverpool? Hernández breaks it all."
"He was lucky that they didn't kick him out. They should have expelled him in the Libertadores final when he hit a header, the other day he elbowed him. I was already surprised that he was in the Under 23s, now in the Major League?" he ended up asking. López, also remembering a play from the match at the Maracaná, when Valentini could have been sent off at the start of the match against Fluminense.
UFF!
Valentini was strong with his arm against Passerini.
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"Valentini seems like a divine kid to me, I have nothing against him, he is a great person and if he plays for Boca it is because he is good," the driver ended by saying, who had the support of his tablemates in the controversy.
The look of Mariano Closs
A while later, on Mariano Closs' program, ESPN F12, they also talked about Valentini's call to the National Team.
"He is a surprise," they commented in the television series that is broadcast at noon on the sports signal.
"It makes me think of Gastón Hernández," said Esteban Edul, agreeing with Gustavo López on the merits of the San Lorenzo center to receive a call from Scaloni.
Meanwhile, the screen showed the action in which Valentini could see the red card during the match against Belgrano.
"I can't believe this..." Closs insisted on the play, ironically.
"Valentini is 22 years old, he has projection. He is not going to be a starter, it is for the coaching staff to work on. They saw him in the Under 23 team and it is clear that they liked him," contributed former soccer player Mariano Juan, in defense of Scaloni.
"This boy played in a Libertadores final and didn't look out of place," added Martín Costa, in that sense.