Argentina to rotate heavily against Peru: Ganchito, Lautaro to start, but Martinez remains in goal

According to Argentine newspaper Ole, Argentina will field a greatly rotated squad for their final Copa América group match against Peru on Saturday, having already secured qualification for the next round.

The day before the fixture, the national team held its last training session, and based on that practice, Argentine media have predicted the starting lineup.

Emiliano Martínez is set to continue in goal; the defense will likely consist of Gonzalo Montiel, Germán Pezzella, Otamendi, and Nicolás Tagliafico.

In midfield, Leandro Paredes and Enzo Fernández are expected to feature, with either Exequiel Palacios or one of Giovanni Lo Celso or Ángel Correa completing the trio.

Up front, Ángel Di María, Lautaro Martínez, and Julián Álvarez (nicknamed “Ganchito”) are tipped to start.

Argentine media consider this rotation unsurprising, as coach Lionel Scaloni had announced changes after the 1-0 win over Chile, aiming to keep the main squad fresh for the quarterfinals. If Argentina finishes atop their group (a draw would suffice), the quarterfinal would take place next Thursday. The only constant remains Emiliano Martínez in goal.

Speculations about Jerónimo Rulli getting a chance were put to rest, as Martínez has been confirmed as the starter once more.

During the first 15 minutes of training open to the press, Scaloni assigned numbers to players in front of journalists, hinting at the lineup versus Peru, which aligns with previous predictions. Otamendi will make his first start of the tournament, while both Corbellini and Ganchito will make their first official match appearances.

Additionally, Pezzella and Palacios are yet to see action in this Copa América. While the players trained tactically, Lionel Messi and Marcos Acuña were involved in recovery sessions in the gym, indicating they will miss the Peru game and won’t even be on the bench.