(Reuters) – Argentina complete their group stage campaign at the Copa America when they take on Peru on Saturday but they will be without captain Lionel Messi and coach Lionel Scaloni.
Messi, who missed Thursday afternoon’s training session, will not play against Peru in order to rest his sore thigh.
“He had a problem in the last game, Leo (Messi) won’t be there, we’ll take it day by day and see how he progresses,” assistant coach Walter Samuel, who replaced Scaloni, told a press conference on Friday after CONMEBOL suspended the head coach.
Scaloni was handed a one-match ban for his side’s late arrival for the second half of their Copa America opener against Canada last week.
“We’re taking it one game at a time, we’re not planning on keeping anyone back, we’re thinking of putting together the best team to play very well against Peru and win it.
“The team has shown that when he’s not there, they’re up to the task. We are not worried at all. Messi himself has seen it, He’s happy with how the team is playing,” Samuel added.
Defending champions Argentina, top of Group A with six points, have already qualified for the quarter-finals after their 1-0 victory against Chile earlier this week.
(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City, additional reporting Rodrigo Scandolo in Buenos Aires)
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