By the semifinals, the passions over the scandals surrounding Argentina’s game against the Dutch had subsided. And the always diplomatic Lionel Scaloni called the criticism of his players unfair, saying: “We know how to lose and win. When we lost to Saudi Arabia, we didn’t say a word. Last year we won the final against Brazil, and after the match there was a great sporting moment with Messi, Neymar and Paredes.”
In the case of Croatia, if there was anything to talk about the day before, it was purely about mutual respect. Zlatko Dalic, the head coach of the Pitmen, when discussing ways to neutralize Messi, devoted more time to complimenting the Argentinian captain. And Scaloni said that everyone who loves soccer wants to see players like Modric on the field. Although many Argentines are painfully reminded of both the Real Madrid midfielder’s gorgeous goal and Croatia’s 3-0 group-stage victory at the 2018 World Cup.
Only the present is always more relevant, and Scaloni had to solve another lineup puzzle, figuring out how many minutes de Paul and Di Maria are capable of spending on the field. And since the author of the “golden” goal in the America’s Cup final is still unable to play full games, the easily guessed return to a quartet of defenders, from which the disqualified Montiel and Acuña dropped out, opened the way to an additional midfielder – Paredes.
The final of the World Cup 2022 is very soon, to make watching the match more interesting, we advise to turn to https://22bet.com.sn/live/.
It was definitely the tournament of a lifetime for Messi, who had not previously excelled in relegation matches. He played with inspiration, although many pointed out that a certain discomfort in terms of feeling was present. But even when they tried to knock Leo down, Alvarez got the ball, and he made a surprisingly simple and effective decision. He rammed the defense in the center, where the two defenders Juranovic and Sosa made unthinkable gaffes, and after that Livakovic had no chance. A delightful goal.
Alvarez’s goal, which beat Lautaro Martinez in this championship, was a revelation for some. Only such evaluations are like comparing the former River Plate star to his Manchester City teammate Holann. They are very different players, and the 170-centimeter Alvarez is not a classic center.
He has his own trump cards, which are not beaten by the opponent, thanks to the telepathic interaction with his equally young ex-River partner Fernandez, and to the discovered chemistry with Messi. It’s already an explosive mix for any opponent. And what Leo did with Guardiola in the third goal was real magic. Or a work of art.