Argentina have just announced their squad for the upcoming international break. They’re set to face Paraguay and Peru in World Cup qualifiers this month.
Ahead of the announcement, much of the talk had been about whether Cristian Romero would be included in Lionel Scaloni’s squad. The defender picked up an injury as Tottenham Hotspur beat Aston Villa at the weekend, but he’s been deemed fit enough for the selection.
The big surprise for Argentina is Enzo Barrenechea being given a place in the senior squad. Aston Villa bought the midfielder from Juventus in the summer window, after Douglas Luiz had gone the other way.
Unai Emery didn’t see an important role in his squad for Barrenechea this season so the 23-year-old was sent on loan to Valencia for the current campaign.
There he’s had a mixed time. Heralded as some sort of arriving saviour for the troubled club, he failed to immediately live up to lofty expectations which were based more on desperate hope than anything else.
He played 84 minutes and scored a goal ion the 1-1 draw against Getafe on October 27th and that appears to have convinced Scaloni.
For Aston Villa, it can only be good news.