Just as
Lionel Scaloni
is already entering the final stage of decision-making to polish the list for the
Copa América
,
Javier Mascherano
is doing the same to prepare the list of 18 names that he will deliver to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to try to achieve the third gold medal in football with his Under 23 National Team. Among those names the idea is to be able to include
three world champions in Qatar 2022
.
Lionel Messi is the biggest dream
, but there are other Scaloneta players for whom progress is being made.
The calendar does not help and Mascherano must put together a real puzzle to define his chosen ones. It has several factors that can influence its preparation: the proximity of competitions (the games start ten days after the Copa América final), the authorization of the clubs as they have no obligation to give up their players, the passes...
According to
Clarín
,
the Albiceleste coach and his coaching staff already have a large part of the list in mind,
although to close it they know that they are forced to wait a few more weeks because everything can change. The premise will be to give continuity to the base of the team that achieved qualification in the Venezuelan Pre-Olympic, with
Thiago Almada
as the flag.
In the Masche
working group
they believe that they managed to capture an idea in the field and that the way is to continue building there. Of course, we are thinking about adding names with more experience to strengthen the team.
Mascherano invited Messi for the Under 23 team, although he knows that his presence in France is very difficult. Photo: AP
Messi is the greatest desire
, although the most difficult of all. El
Jefecito
and company understand that, beyond Leo's desire to always be able to play everything with his country's shirt, he has commitments to fulfill and that threaten the possibility of spending almost two months concentrated between one competition and the other. In any case, they do not give up and
wait for the final response from the Inter Miami man.
At the same time, they are already embarking on the mission of ensuring that three other players led by Scaloni can also be in France.
Mascherano wants to add a goalkeeper, a central defender and a forward from La Mayor
. The names listed are
Emiliano Martínez
(Aston Villa),
Nicolás Otamendi
(Benfica) and
Julián Alvare
z (Manchester City). Complicated, but not impossible.
The vast majority of the members of the world champion team made it known internally that they want to be there. Some, in fact, publicly expressed this desire, which does not always go hand in hand with the decision of their clubs.
Emiliano Martínez is the goalkeeper that Mascherano wants to take to the Olympics. Photo: AFP
Dibu
,
Ota
and La
Araña
, if the negotiations with their teams prosper both at an institutional and personal level, could be the ones who join the delegation that will participate in the Olympic football that will begin on July 24 and will be played in six venues: Bordeaux, Nantes, Lyon, Marseille, Nice and Paris. Argentina will face Morocco in its group, the third place in the Asian Cup (yet to be known) and Ukraine.
It is clear that
the forward's case will be subject to Messi's final decision
, which has not yet been notified to the AFA. If the man from Rosario finally cannot go, that is when the figure of Álvarez gains strength. Another alternative is that of
Lautaro Martínez
(Inter Milan), who has already said in several interviews that he is willing to make the corresponding negotiations. Everything could change depending on the predisposition shown by the different clubs.
There could be more world champions since other conversations that are being carried out are about
Enzo Fernández
, who would not occupy a higher position since he is just 23 years old. Of course in that case we will have to get Chelsea from England to give him a thumbs up to lose him for about seven weeks.
Valentín Barco made his debut in the Major League on the last tour and is in the sights of Scaloni and Mascherano. Photo: EFE
In turn, Mascherano hopes to know Scaloni's list because it could include some young people he has in his plans.
Valentín Barco
(Brighton),
Alejandro Garnacho
(Manchester United),
Facundo Buonanotte
(Brighton) participated in the last tour of the Scaloneta in March and are in the running for consideration of the coach born in Pujato as well as that of the former Barcelona midfielder .
They will be decisive weeks for the Argentine National Teams. Times of definitions are coming.