Lionel Messi and the remainder of Argentina’s beginning line-up had been absent from coaching on Thursday amid issues over their talisman’s health.
The 35-year-old was seen clutching his hamstring a number of occasions through the 3-0 win over Croatia on Tuesday.
It has led Argentina followers to change into more and more involved about Messi’s situation forward of their World Cup closing in opposition to France on Sunday.
But Messi’s non-appearance at coaching mustn’t elevate alarm bells as supervisor Lionel Scaloni gave all of the beginning XI from the semi-final the day without work.
Foot Mercato are reporting that Messi is experiencing discomfort in his hamstring, though he’s broadly thought-about to be match.
Squad gamers Angel Di Maria and Paulo Dybala – each of whom got here on as second half substitutes in opposition to Croatia – had been current at coaching.
Papu Gomez is nursing a sprained ankle and stays a doubt for the ultimate, whereas Marcos Acuna and Gonzalo Montiel will return from suspension.
But it’s Messi that each Argentine is hanging their hopes on heading into the France sport.
The Barcelona legend has been in scintillating type for his nation, contributing 5 objectives and three assists of their six World Cup video games.
But greater than his aim contributions, he has been talismanic in every little thing Argentina have achieved on the match as he bids to win the trophy on his fifth and closing try.
He beforehand got here closest eight years in the past when Germany beat the South Americans within the 2014 closing.
Speaking after the win over Croatia, he mentioned: “I feel really good, I feel strong and ready to play each game.
“It’s not easy as we arrived tired but the group gained strength again and we played a strong game.
“I am enjoying this a lot. I feel very happy in this World Cup and I am able to help the squad.”
Keeper Emi Martinez additionally dismissed speak of Messi carrying an damage.
He mentioned: “No, no [he’s not injured]. We played 120 minutes against Holland, it was a hard game for him but you can see he wants to finish every game.
“Physically he’s really good and he’s man of the match every game.”
Argentina haven’t received the World Cup since Diego Maradona impressed them to glory in Mexico in 1986.
HOW DID THEY GET TO THE FINAL?
France ended Morocco’s World Cup dream as objectives from Theo Hernandez and Randal Kolo Muani gave the holders a 2-0 win of their semi-final conflict and arrange a showdown with Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
It seemed like France may make brief work of their opponents when Hernandez scored inside 5 minutes at Al Bayt Stadium, regardless of having a hostile crowd in opposition to them.
But Morocco, the primary African and Arab group ever to succeed in the final 4 at a World Cup, fought on regardless of dropping key gamers to damage solely to see substitute Kolo Muani seal victory for Les Bleus with a late second.
It shall be France’s fourth World Cup closing in seven editions and they’re hoping to change into the primary group since Brazil 60 years in the past to retain the trophy once they tackle Argentina at Lusail Stadium on Sunday.
That shall be billed as a showdown between Messi and his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe, however this match was not in regards to the latter’s particular person brilliance.
Instead France’s victory was right down to a group effort in opposition to a Moroccan facet who will now face Croatia in Saturday’s third-place play-off.
THE 2022 WORLD CUP FINAL IS AT 2AM MONDAY DECEMBER 19 (AEDT)
Morocco had reached the semi-finals after beating Belgium within the group stage after which knocking out Spain and Portugal.
But whether or not they might repeat the feat in opposition to the holders was one other matter, and coach Walid Regragui’s plans had been left in turmoil by a slew of accidents.
Having missed the quarter-final, centre-back Nayef Aguerd was recalled solely to withdraw on the final minute, with Achraf Dari stepping in.
Then fellow defender and captain Romain Saiss needed to abandon his teammates after simply 21 minutes, and by then Morocco had been behind.
France had been met by deafening whistles when in possession from the massive Moroccan help however they silenced the gang with the early opener, Hernandez netting with an acrobatic volley on the again submit after Mbappe’s shot was deflected.
Remarkably it was additionally simply the second aim conceded by Morocco at this World Cup and the primary scored by an opposition participant.
– INJURIES PILE UP –
If the wonderful Azzedine Ounahi pressured a fantastic save from Hugo Lloris quickly after, there was the sensation that the night might shortly flip right into a impolite actuality verify for them.
When Saiss let a easy ahead ball bounce over his head, Olivier Giroud broke away however his shot hit the submit.
Then when Saiss got here off Regragui deserted his again three and matched France’s 4-3-3.
Morocco completed the half strongly and practically drew stage when, following a nook, defender Jawad El Yamiq noticed his overhead kick tipped onto the submit by Lloris.
The Atlas Lions then additionally misplaced Bayern Munich left-back Noussair Mazraoui at half-time, however France had not been saved from health worries themselves.
Two of their starters within the quarter-final win over England, Adrien Rabiot and Dayot Upamecano, had been lacking resulting from sickness.
Les Bleus have been used to enjoying semi-finals on a knife-edge and their earlier three wins at this stage — in 1998, 2006 and 2018 — had all come by a single aim.
Coach Didier Deschamps took off Giroud and changed him with Marcus Thuram — son of Lilian — as Mbappe moved inside.
Kolo Muani then got here on for Ousmane Dembele, and with 11 minutes remaining he scored from his first contact, tapping in after one other Mbappe shot had been deflected.
The Moroccan gamers knew then it was sport over, and so did French President Emmanuel Macron, standing to applaud within the crowd.
Originally printed as FIFA World Cup closing 2022 Argentina v France what time in Australia, date
