Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has confirmed that star forward Lionel Messi is expected to feature in their upcoming pre-World Cup friendly against Iceland.
Messi, who has been recovering from a muscle problem, was left out of Argentina’s friendly win over Honduras on 6 June as a precautionary measure.
However, Scaloni indicated that the veteran forward is set to return to action before the World Cup kicks off, with the Iceland clash likely to mark his comeback.
“He is going to play against Iceland,” Scaloni said. “What I do not know is how many minutes he will play.
“I still have to speak with him during training to assess how long he can be on the pitch, as we want to avoid any kind of risk. But in principle, yes, he will get some minutes.”
When asked about Messi’s influence on the squad, Scaloni responded: “He is hugely important, as always. Not just in the dressing room but also on the field — everything he communicates to his teammates and the atmosphere he creates around him is simply incredible.”
Argentina will begin their World Cup campaign on 17 June with their opening match against Algeria.
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