| Argentina vs Venezuela | |
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MATCH INFO |
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MATCH :
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Argentina vs Venezuela
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COMPETITION :
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Friendlies
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| DATE: |
11-10-2025
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TIME:
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05.30 AM IST (UTC +5:30)
04.00 AM UAE
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STADIUM
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Hard Rock Stadium
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Thiago Almada’s Controversial Argentina Call-Up Sparks Debate in Spain
After Lionel Scaloni announced his Argentina squad — led by Lionel Messi — for the upcoming friendlies in the United States against Venezuela and Puerto Rico, controversy erupted in Spain surrounding the inclusion of Thiago Almada.
The Atletico Madrid midfielder has been sidelined for over a month with a muscle injury and has been training separately from the rest of Diego Simeone’s squad. Almada sustained the issue during the last round of South American World Cup Qualifiers, which has kept him out of action ever since.
However, his surprise call-up to represent Argentina for their matches on Friday, October 10 and Monday, October 13 drew heavy criticism from Spanish media. Many questioned how the 24-year-old could be deemed unfit for Atletico yet still be considered ready to play for the national team.
In the latest update, Gaston Edul of TyC Sports reported that Scaloni has decided to withdraw Almada from both fixtures due to lingering fitness concerns. As of now, no replacement has been named, though the coaching staff may opt to bring in another player in the coming days, given Almada’s importance to the squad.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Emiliano “Dibu” Martinez — who was a doubt after suffering a calf strain during warm-ups for Aston Villa’s Europa League clash — has been cleared to play and will join the national team camp.
Argentina Squad for October Friendlies
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez, Walter Benitez, Geronimo Rulli, Facundo Cambeses
Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel, Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Leonardo Balerdi, Nicolas Otamendi, Marcos Senesi, Lautaro Rivero, Nicolas Tagliafico, Marcos Acuña
Midfielders: Leandro Paredes, Anibal Moreno, Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Nicolas Paz, Giovani Lo Celso, Alexis Mac Allister, Franco Mastantuono
Forwards: Giuliano Simeone, Nicolas Gonzalez, Lionel Messi, Jose Manuel Lopez, Julian Alvarez, Lautaro Martinez