Argentina's national team coach, Lionel Scaloni, confirmed at a press conference that Lionel Messi will play in the friendly match against Angola but did not specify how many minutes he will be on the field, nor did he confirm if he will start.
Scaloni also confirmed that new players will get a chance: "We replaced the absentees from the list with guys we've been following and who will get the opportunity." Many world champions will be on the field, and the fans will be able to enjoy them.
At the same time, the coach pointed out that regardless of the nature of the match, every game for the Argentina national team is important: "Whenever the Argentina national team plays, it's important."
The coach analyzed the opponent and highlighted their recent growth: "We are playing against a team that has not qualified for the World Cup but has done well, especially with a great performance against Cameroon. We hope the public enjoys themselves; we are facing an important match for Angola on their independence anniversary."
He also warned about their individual strengths: "I know the Angolan players, they have known individuals in European leagues, and one by one they are good individually; if they function as a team, they can cause problems."
Scaloni also referred to the evaluation process for the future: "Many of our players are fighting for us to see them and be on the World Cup list. We are not giving anything away; we will try to play a good match, controlling the game in our own way."
And he highlighted the warm welcome the team received upon arriving in the African country: "We saw the people's joy at the airport at seeing these players, which fills us with satisfaction. This helps us see them and reconfirm what we thought, that they can contribute to us."
Asked about Messi, Scaloni confirmed his presence on the field: "Messi, in principle, will play, I don't know for how many minutes, we'll see; the public will be able to see him."
In parallel, he pointed out the need to demonstrate superiority on the field: "In football, superiority must be shown on the field, so we will try to do it as best as we can tomorrow, that's why we came. They have good footballers."
