Argentina Face Further Injury Concerns After Balerdi Withdrawal

The Argentina national football team has encountered significant injury complications ahead of their upcoming World Cup campaign. Defender Leonardo Balerdi has already been officially withdrawn from the final 26-man squad. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) confirmed his exclusion on Saturday due to an injury. While managers typically replace injured players swiftly as a tournament approaches, head coach Lionel Scaloni is deliberately taking more time before naming a replacement.

According to Scaloni and local Argentine media reports, Balerdi may not be the only casualty, as at least three more players are at serious risk of missing the tournament due to fitness issues.

Friendly Victory and Scaloni’s Stance

As part of their tournament preparations, Argentina contested an international friendly against Honduras, securing a 2-0 victory courtesy of goals from Lautaro Martínez and Giuliano Simeone. Following the match, Scaloni was questioned by reporters regarding potential replacements for the vacant squad position.

The manager indicated that he would defer any final decisions until a comprehensive assessment of the squad could be completed, stating:

“Many of our players are still not at 100 per cent fitness. The final decision might not revolve solely around a single centre-back. We have another match ahead of us, after which we will reach a conclusion. One player’s situation is forcing us to evaluate the physical condition of several others. We will not make any decisions before next Tuesday, until we have seen everyone’s physical status.”

Argentina are scheduled to face Iceland on Tuesday in their second warm-up fixture, after which the final squad adjustments are expected to be finalised.

Specific Player Fitness Statistics

According to reports from TyC Sports, the immediate fitness concerns centre around Gonzalo Montiel, Nahuel Molina, and Leandro Paredes. These three players were notable omissions from the matchday squad against Honduras, failing to secure a place even on the substitutes’ bench.

Both Montiel and Molina are currently sidelined with muscle issues. Because they directly compete for the same right-back position, their simultaneous injuries have complicated Scaloni’s defensive selections. Consequently, Agustín Giay and Nicolás Capaldo were called up to the provisional squad as cover, with Giay starting the match against Honduras. Meanwhile, Boca Juniors midfielder Leandro Paredes is recovering from a minor muscle tear sustained in his last outing. His rehabilitation has progressed slowly, and he has not yet resumed normal training with the rest of the squad.

The table below outlines the status of the six players who were excluded from the Honduras matchday bench, alongside Leonardo Balerdi:

Positive Fitness Updates and Tournament Schedule

In contrast to the defensive concerns, Atlético Madrid forward Julián Álvarez is expected to participate in the tournament without issue despite suffering from minor ankle inflammation. Furthermore, goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez has fully recovered from a finger injury and is slated to start in goal for the opening match. Midfielder Nicolás Paz, who sustained a left knee injury during the domestic season with Italian club Como, is expected to join the national team camp following the conclusion of the Honduras fixture.

Argentina’s World Cup campaign will officially commence on 16 June in Group J. Their confirmed group-stage fixtures are structured as follows: