Messi to miss Argentina’s September clashes

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has announced his team for their upcoming World Cup qualifying fixtures in September, but the reigning champions will be without their inspirational captain and talisman, Lionel Messi.

The left-footed playmaker has yet to fully recover from an ankle injury suffered during their winning campaign in the Copa America, played in the USA earlier this year, and has missed a couple of matches for his club side, Inter Miami.

Despite the absence of Messi, the Albicelestes are not short of attacking firepower, with Atletico Madrid's new recruit, Julian Alvarez, and Inter Milan's Lautaro Martínez in the mix.

Scaloni's charges are set to clash against Chile on 6 September before taking on Colombia on 10 September, with the latter seeking revenge for their defeat in the Copa America final.

ARGENTINA SQUAD 

Goalkeepers: Walter Benítez (PSV Eindhoven), Gerónimo Rulli (Olympique de Marseille), Juan Musso (Atalanta)
Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa); Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur), Germán Pezzella (River Plate), Leonardo Balerdi (Olympique de Marseille), Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica), Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United), Nicolás Tagliafico (Lyon), Valentín Barco (Brighton); Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (AS Roma), Guido Rodríguez (West Ham United), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Enzo Fernández (Chelsea), Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham Hotspur), Ezequiel Fernández (Al Qadsiah), Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid); Forwards: Nicolás González (Fiorentina), Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United), Matías Soulé (AS Roma), Giuliano Simeone (Atletico Madrid), Valentín Carboni (Olympique de Marseille), Julián Álvarez (Atletico Madrid), Lautaro Martínez (Inter), Valentín Castellanos (Lazio)