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Early Argentina team news: will Lionel Messi start?

It was the question on everybody’s lips before the Paraguay game last week and it’s the question on everyone’s lips before this one too. 

Unless you were living on the moon for a few weeks, you’ll be aware that Lionel Messi has been struggling with an injury recently. Basically since the last international break, when he scored the winning goal against Ecuador before being replaced due to “tiredness”.

After not playing in Argentina’s 3-0 win in Bolivia, the former Barça star could only manage 37 minutes of Inter Miami’s MLS win over Toronto FC before missing four consecutive matches, including the US Open Cup final loss to Houston Dynamo. He made his return as a second-half substitute in The Herons last MLS game before the international break and did the same in Thursday’s home win over the Paraguayans. 

Head coach Lionel Scaloni was keeping his cards pretty close to his chest in Monday’s pre-match conference, his message being “if he’s OK, he’ll start”. Reports in Argentina on Tuesday have suggested Messi is indeed OK, which means he will indeed start. 

We’ll find out soon enough!