Lionel Messi will start on the bench in Jordan vs. Argentina, and Lionel Scaloni said on Friday that the captain may still see some minutes in Saturday’s Group J finale in Dallas. Argentina has already locked up first place with six points, so the only immediate issue is how much of the lineup it chooses to preserve before dieciseisavos del Mundial.
Scaloni shifts Argentina
“Leo va a ir al banco,” Scaloni said, and he added that the team’s aim is to keep the same approach even with changes around Messi. “El anhelo es que el equipo juegue de la misma manera. Es lo que vamos a intentar,” he said, while also saying Argentina will try “algún matiz del último partido” with “la misma intención de agarrar la pelota y someter al rival.”
Emiliano Martínez is the only starter expected to keep his place, with Marcos Senesi, Nicolás Tagliafico, Leandro Paredes, Exequiel Palacios, Giovani Lo Celso, Giuliano Simeone, Nicolás Paz and Julián Álvarez all in the rotated group. Nicolás Paz is set to take Messi’s spot. Argentina is chasing a third consecutive win in the group stage, something it has not done in the opening round of the tournament since Brasil 2014.
Jordania wants a memory
Jamal Sellami framed the matchup from the other side on Friday. “Tengo la esperanza que mañana vamos a estar preparados para este partido histórico ante Argentina,” he said, and added that Jordania wants to learn and enjoy the game against one of the best teams in the world. He also said it would not matter to him whether Messi plays because Argentina remains “un formidable equipo, muy sólido...”
That is the sharp edge of this final Group J match: Argentina has little at stake beyond preserving legs, while Jordania sees a historic chance before it leaves the tournament. The result will not change Argentina’s place at the top of the group, but it will shape how much strain its regulars carry into the next round.
Friday in Group H
Argentina will finish Saturday in Dallas, then wait for Friday in Group H to sort out the round of 16 opponent. The next game will tell more about how much Scaloni trusts the rotation, and how long Messi actually stays on the bench before the knockout stage begins.
