Argentina paves the way to the World Cup with a friendly against Trinidad and Tobago

The Argentina national football team will face Trinidad and Tobago in a friendly match on Wednesday with team coach Alejandro Sabella leading the way to the World Cup in Brazil-2014.

The challenge should not cause problems for the Argentinians led by Lionel Messi, so the main concern will be to avoid injuries that threaten its star players as it has occurred in other national teams.

After the confirmation on Monday of the final roster of 23 players who will go to World Cup, Argentina will train in a closed-session on Tuesday afternoon at the campus of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) in Ezeiza (south), after which Sabella will hold a press conference.

Without any more surprises than the exclusion of Ever Banega (Newell’s Old Boys) from the final roster, in addition to the more predictable ones of José Sosa and Nicolas Otamendi, Sabella has the powerful attack of the “Fantastic Four” with Messi, Angel Di Maria, Gonzalo Higuaín and Sergio Agüero to ratify the category of the team.

Aguero could be left out of the friendly match against Trinidad and Tobago while recovering from a fever that resulted in the absence of some training sessions, even though he will be among the starting eleven on Saturday in the farewell match against Slovenia in La Plata (south).

“I just care about the World Cup. As leader of the group we have to enjoy Messi. Messi has to feel that we play for him to explode his virtues,” said midfielder Javier Mascherano, Messi’s roommate in Barcelona, on Tuesday, and who has played 96 matches with the national team.

Among those chosen by the coach are three goalkeepers, 7 defenders, 8 midfielders, and five forwards, of which 10 have played at least one World Cup before.

In midfield, the total recovery of Fernando Gago from an injury that sidelined him from Boca Juniors in recent days of the tournament Final -2014 places him as one of the likely starters of Sabella.

“It was said he had 60 days (recovery) and it was not true. In four weeks he was ready to play,” said Gago to La Red Radio.

Another who certainly enjoys having been on the roster is midfielder Enzo Pérez, after it was speculated that he could’ve been excluded, but is coming off a good season at Benfica of Portugal.

With Trinidad and Tobago we “will give one hundred percent. They should be taken with the seriousness it deserves and while respecting the opponent,” said Perez.

The Argentina vs Trinidad and Tobago match will be on Wednesday, June 4 starting at 19H00 local (22H00 GMT) at the Monumental stadium of Buenos Aires, and will be refereed by the Uruguayan Daniel Fedorczuk, assisted by Mauricio Espinosa and Gabriel Popovits.

Probable lineup: