Scaloni respects Cape Verde, warns of Miami heat before match

Lionel Scaloni, Argentina's head coach, emphasized the need to respect Cape Verde ahead of their upcoming match, stating the team is "illusioned" but aware of the serious challenge ahead. "The margin now shrinks. It's a match where the loser goes home. We are aware of that, but it finds us at a good moment," Scaloni said.

“

We are well, logically illusioned, like everyone else, but there is a rival to face, to respect, a rival that has done things very well.

Scaloni acknowledged Cape Verde's undefeated status and tactical strengths. "They are a team that hasn't lost. They even deserved to win some matches. Against Spain and Uruguay, perhaps they struggled a bit more, but they defended well," he observed. He highlighted their skilled players, noting, "They have good players. It's a good team, we had already seen it, not because we are facing them now, but because we were analyzing potential opponents. They advanced, and honestly, it doesn't surprise us."

“

The margin now shrinks. It's a match where the loser goes home. And well, we are aware of that, but it finds us at a good moment.

Addressing the team's atmosphere, Scaloni stated that fan support is a positive reinforcement, not pressure. "For us, it's a boost, never pressure, quite the opposite, we look forward to tomorrow," he said. Regarding potential extra time and Lionel Messi's role, Scaloni remained pragmatic. "If we consider if the match will go longer, well, we'll see. It doesn't make much sense to answer now if I don't know how the match will unfold. He has played in all sorts of ways with us, so I imagine he will be there, but we depend on how the match goes and how he is," he commented on the captain.

“

They have good players. It's a good team, we had already seen it, not because we are facing them now, but because we were analyzing potential opponents. They advanced, and honestly, it doesn't surprise us.

Scaloni dismissed concerns about goal distribution within the squad, stressing that the team consistently creates chances and that collective performance is paramount over individual statistics. He also criticized the match's scheduling in high temperatures. "Yes, it's true that it's a bit contradictory because you play indoors at noon and tomorrow at 6 p.m. in Miami, where it's hot and humid," he said. "If it's hot tomorrow, the spectacle will logically not be the same, but the schedules are what they are, and that's that," he concluded.

“

For us, it's a boost, never pressure, quite the opposite, we look forward to tomorrow.