This week was the final one for Lionel Scaloni to check which players are in good shape for Argentina at the World Cup. However, training sessions left one player injured, as Leonardo Balerdi will not be part of the team.
Argentina confirmed it officially on their social media accounts: “Defender Leonardo Balerdi suffered a muscle injury in the soleus of his right leg and will not be part of the squad for the World Cup.”
While it could be a long tournament with the expansion to 48 teams, the injury will take three weeks to heal. With so many players already dealing with fitness issues, Scaloni could not risk adding one more to the list.
The replacement
The injury happened too recently to know who will replace Balerdi on the 26-man list. However, there are a few names that could be called up until a day before their first match, on June 16. The main candidate may be Marcos Senesi, since he is also a center back.
Senesi signed with Tottenham (Cameron Smith/Getty Images)
For the defender, it would be a great opportunity after solid years with Bournemouth that led to a free transfer to Tottenham for next season, in what should be a step forward in his career. One major difference with Balerdi is that he is left-footed.
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There is a clear weakness at right back in this team, with Gonzalo Montiel and Nahuel Molina not arriving in great condition. That is why Scaloni made Agustin Giay and Nicolás Capaldo travel with the team, as they could also be added. An outside chance could go to left back Marcos Acuña.
Argentina’s next match
While many teams have already played at least one friendly during the week, Argentina are about to make their first appearance. The match is today against Honduras at 8 PM ET in Texas, with a lineup that is not expected to feature many starters after the team only got together a few days ago.
