Lionel Messi, the captain of the Argentine national team, will not be starting in their final Group A match of the Copa America 2024 against Peru. This decision comes after Messi sustained a minor injury to his right thigh during the previous match against Chile. He was kicked by Gabriel Suazo in the game. Adding to the injury, Messi also mentioned to reporters that he has been dealing with a sore throat and fever. Despite these ailments, he managed to finish the match against Chile, but admitted that the injury made it difficult for him to move freely, especially side to side. Following the win over Chile, which secured Argentina’s spot in the quarterfinals, Argentina’s head coach, Lionel Scaloni, hinted that Messi might not start against Peru, indicating he planned to rest several starters for the final group stage match. This match, which is essentially a dead rubber for Argentina, will be played in Florida on Saturday at 5:30 am IST (Sunday). With Argentina’s advancement already secured, Scaloni is likely using this opportunity to rest key players and prepare for the knockout stages of the tournament.
Lionel Messi Out for Argentina’s Final Group A Match
