Messi and Argentina return to the USA for a tour in March, who will be their opponents?
The cancelled Nigeria and Ivory Coast games against Argentina have been replaced
The Chinese market closed its doors to the Argentine National Team after the controversy of Lionel Messi's absence in Hong Kong for an Inter Miami fixture, announcing the cancellation of two friendly matches scheduled against Ivory Coast and Nigeria.
However, the United States opened the door to Lionel Scaloni's national team and has already scheduled two dates in March in a short tour, booked for March 18 to 22.
Firstly, Argentina will take on El Salvador at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field on March 22. Then four days later, they will face Nigeria at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles on March 26.
In both cases, the schedule has not yet been confirmed but the two matches will serve as preparation for the Copa America 2024, which will return to the United States in June with Argentina looking to defend their 2021 title which they won against Brazil.
«First, Lionel Scaloni's team will face El Salvador at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia (March 22),» an Argentine Football Association (AFA) press release said. «While the second match will be against Nigeria at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles (March 26).»
This new tour will be much more accessible for Lionel Messi's match load since he will not need to travel so many miles to play these matches, after the MLS league tournament started on Wednesday, February 21 and the competition runs until December.
While in the summer Messi will have the Copa America and the Leagues Cup, in addition to the CONCAF Champions' Cup. The AFA even invited Leo to participate in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Managing games is critical for the 36-year-old, who has suffered from recurring muscular
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