Lionel Messi’s injury recovery progress has been positive, with coach Lionel Scaloni stating that the Argentine star could play a few minutes in upcoming friendlies before Argentina’s World Cup opener. The medical staff of the national team is working to ensure all players are fit for these matches.
Argentina will face Honduras on Saturday in College Station, Texas, and Iceland on Tuesday in Auburn, Alabama. Goalkeeper Juan Musso from Atletico Madrid has been called up to start against Honduras due to Emiliano Martinez’s fractured finger. Both Santiago Beltran and Julian Alvarez have arrived with physical issues, but their playing time remains uncertain.
Defensive right backs Nahuel Molina and Gonzalo Montiel are recovering from muscle tears, while Agustin Giay and Nicolas Capaldo will replace them in the friendlies. Centre-back Cristian Romero is training despite a knee sprain sustained in April, though his match fitness is still questionable.
Scaloni confirmed that Nicolas Paz has been ruled out for the Honduras game but may be close to being ready for the World Cup debut. The coach emphasized that the coming week will determine if injured players can participate in the friendlies without risking their injuries.