River defender Germán Pezzella had to withdraw from the Argentina national team's roster due to a muscle strain he has been carrying since the semifinals of the Copa Libertadores. This loss adds to Nicolás González's absence, complicating coach Lionel Scaloni's plans for the upcoming South American Qualifiers against Paraguay and Peru.
Pezzella, 33, will continue his rehabilitation at River Plate, making use of the break due to the FIFA date to recover from his injury. He is expected to be available for the match against Independiente Rivadavia on November 21, provided his recovery continues to be favorable.
On the other hand, the Argentina national team is also facing logistical issues with players based in England. Emiliano Martínez, Enzo Fernández, Lisandro Martínez, Cristian Romero, and Facundo Buonanotte have been stranded in Brazil for over 30 hours due to the cancellation of their flight with a stop in that country. They are expected to arrive in Buenos Aires at 6 PM, which will delay the start of full training sessions.
Despite the difficulties, the Argentine players have tried to maintain a good spirit regarding the situation. 'Dibu' Martínez shared a photo on social media with his teammates Romero and Licha Martínez, joking about the long wait with the phrase: '30 hours and we’re still on a trip.'
Scaloni faces a complex challenge in preparing the Argentina national team, with significant absences and setbacks in players' travel. The team's planning and resilience will be put to the test under these difficult circumstances before the crucial commitments ahead.
