Pointing out that
Scaloneta
has a problem in goal seems a lot like nonsense because
Emiliano Martínez
, the undisputed starter, is one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
Protagonists from all the teams and all the national teams in the world line up to praise the
Draw
.
But a silent and no small issue has Lionel Scaloni
worried
less than three months before the start of the
Copa América
.
Who is the substitute?
What happens if Dibu can't be in a game?
How much does it influence that
Gerónimo Rulli
and
Juan Musso
do not have minutes in their teams?
Rulli (31 years old) and
Franco Armani
(37) supported
Dibu
in Qatar 2022, while Musso (29), one of the coach's favorites, was left at the door.
According to Rulli himself, he was Martínez's substitute
.
"I warmed up against Croatia as if I were going to play, all waiting to see if Dibu could play or not. They gave him treatment before and he was able to leave
," he said.
But time passed and this season is not Rulli's best by any means.
The goalkeeper, who saved in 4 matches for the National Team, suffered a dislocation of his right shoulder in the first match, on August 12, 2023 against Heracles and had to undergo surgery.
Since then, he has not seen action.
He only played 32 minutes in Ajax's 39 games
(3,510 minutes) of the season.
At the beginning of the year, Rulli was close to returning to Estudiantes to seek continuity, but due to a family issue he decided to remain in Europe.
At this moment, he went from being Dibu
's substitute
to being a foot and a half out of the Copa América.
Emiliano Martínez, undisputed in the National Team.
Photo: AFP
Musso (2 games in the National Team) was the other substitute when Rulli was not there.
He was even above Armani in Scaloni's consideration, despite the fact that the River footballer almost did not miss the calls.
But the year of the one trained in Racing is not productive in Atalanta of Italy either: he saved in 2 of the team's 12 duels (both against Sporting Lisbon, in the Europa League).
That lack of continuity marginalized him from this tour.
Thus, in this context, Armani (19 appearances in the National Team) appears as the natural candidate to be Dibu's replacement.
It happens that the man born in Casilda has lowered his level in recent years at River
and does not compete week after week in European leagues.
“In the definition work you can see the quality of the boys who play in Europe. They wait until the last moment for the goalkeeper and always try from a low post or from an angle. It helps you a lot to continue adding experience. I have to take advantage of this moment, in addition to enjoying it, because you don't live it every day
," Armani confessed in 2018, when he was just appearing in the National Team.
Walter Benítez adds chances.
Photo: AFP
Then,
the figure of Walter Benítez bursts in
.
It is very likely that the 31-year-old from Chaco will make his debut in Tuesday's game at midnight against Costa Rica.
And, if it happens, it will be an act of justice because the season he is going through at PSV Eindhoven, the Eredivisie leader, is brilliant: he saved in 39 of the team's 41 games and they scored 31 goals.
"Many times the game happens in your head. As a goalkeeper you have to be there for 90 to 100 minutes, concentrating on the background, to be ready for that shot that could change the whole game. Now the goalkeeper has more responsibility than before
, "
Benítez told
The Athletic
.
And he expanded:
"I spent a lot of time in France, facing incredible players like Messi, Mbappé, Di María and Neymar. They can do incredible things in a second. You think: 'Ah, the ball is going in that direction, and before it hits you "You realize, they have changed the shape of her body and placed her on the opposite side
. "