Argentina Assistant Coach: Scaloni Upset by Suspension, No Need to Worry About Messi’s Absence

On Friday, CONMEBOL handed a one-match suspension to Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni for exceeding the halftime break in matches against Canada and Chile.

Scaloni was also banned from pre-match press conferences, with assistant coach Walter Samuel stepping in for him at the presser.

Samuel shared Scaloni’s feelings about the suspension: “He’s very frustrated because we as a coaching staff always respect the rules, and during the whole group stage, we only got one yellow card, which might have been for me. The delay wasn’t an attempt to gain an advantage, but due to football reasons. Although the ban is a setback, we accept it, but the whole situation caught us by surprise.”

Regarding superstar Lionel Messi’s fitness, Samuel revealed: “Messi won’t feature against Peru. We’re closely monitoring his recovery every day. We haven’t ruled him out, and we don’t want to imagine a future without Leo. But even without him, the team has shown great form, so we’re not worried.”

On the consequences of not winning the Copa América, Samuel expressed: “Calling it a ‘failure’ is too strong; true failure is not trying or competing. We give our all, and the final judgment is up to others.”

Summing up the first two games, Samuel said: “Overall, both in terms of results and our ability to handle different situations, it’s been positive.”

Discussing the lineup for the last group match against Peru, he stated: “It’s too early to discuss specifics, but we’ll never underestimate Peru. We aim to win every game.”

Peru’s coach, Jorge Sampaoli, commenting on Scaloni’s suspension, offered support: “Teams need more rest time. I propose rule changes, like starting the 15-minute halftime countdown from when teams reach the locker room, not when the referee blows the whistle. With some venues having a kilometer-long walk to the pitch, this affects match flow and coaches, and it shouldn’t lead to punishment.”