The Argentine national football team has trained for the first time in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico, ahead of a friendly match against their Italian counterparts in honour of Pope Francis.
Lionel Messi, who will lead the Albiceleste in meeting the Pontiff on Tuesday in the Vatican, is a fitness doubt for Wednesday’s match due to a strained cuadricep that kept him out of Barcelona’s pre-season friendly at the weekend.
The Spanish club have recommended that Messi, who barely trained on Monday morning, should not be risked in the match just days before the Liga opener against Levante.
During the session, coach Alejandro Sabella lined up with a starting formation consisting of: Andújar; Campagnaro, Fernández, Garay, Basanta; Di María, Biglia, Mascherano, Maxi Rodríguez; Palacio and Gonzalo Higuaín.
Source: Buenos Aires Herald