BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (SportingAlert.com) — Argentina head coach Alejandro Sabella has decided to mix his starting XI for Saturday’s final World Cup tune-up game against Slovenia at Estadio Monumental, with Lionel Messi only on the bench.
Messi, alongside Angel Di Maria, Javier Mascherano, Pablo Zabaleta, Sergio Agüero and Ezequiel Garay all start this game on the bench, with the likes of Gonzalo Higuaín, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Federico Fernández, Augusto Fernandez and Lucas Biglia all in the opening XI.
It is understand that Sabella wants to give some of his top players some rest, while offering some more game time to others, which is required heading into the big tournament.
Argentina, led by a top performance from Messi, eased to a 3-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago in their last warmup game and South Americans will be hoping to deliver another outing such as that in their final warm-up game in front of their home fans before the team leaves for Brazil.
Sabella says Argentina he sees today’s game against Slovenia as the ideal preparation for his team’s Group F World Cup opener with Bosnia-Herzegovina on Sunday, 15 June.
