No more Messi as Argentina announces squad for November friendlies

File photo: This is Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni’s first squad announcement since Lionel Messi retired. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni on Tuesday named his squad for the upcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Costa Rica.

This is the first squad announcement since Lionel Messi’s retirement and sees the return of River ‌Plate’s Gonzalo Montiel and ‌Parma defender Mariano Troilo. Meanwhile, Chelsea defender Aaron Anselmino has received his first senior call-up.

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has been included ​despite suffering a fractured jaw while playing ⁠for Chelsea, while key players like Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez and Julian ‌Alvarez have also been called up.

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Argentina will face Uruguay on November 13 ⁠at La Bombonera before taking on ⁠Costa Rica four days later at the Mario ‌Alberto Kempes stadium in Cordoba.

ARGENTINA FULL SQUAD

• Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez (Chelsea), Geronimo Rulli (Manchester City), Juan Musso (Atletico Madrid), Santiago Beltran (River Plate)
• Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Agustin Giay (Palmeiras), Aaron Anselmino (Chelsea), Mariano Troilo (Parma), Leonardo Balerdi (Roma), Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United), Facundo Medina (Bayer Leverkusen), Nicolás Tagliafico (Olympique Lyon), Roman Vega (Zenit)
• Midfielders: Ezequiel Fernandez (Bayer Leverkusen), Maximo Perrone (Como 1907), Exequiel Palacios (Ipswich Town), Valentín Barco (Chelsea), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Enzo Fernandez (Manchester City), Nicolas Paz (Como 1907), Matias Soule (Roma)
• Forwards: Franco Mastantuono (Fiorentina), Giuliano Simeone (Atletico Madrid), Gianluca Prestianni (Benfica), Thiago Almada (River Plate), Jose Manuel Lopez (Palmeiras), Santiago Castro (Roma), Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid)