Erik Lamela could be set to play deputy for Lionel Messi. The Barcelona superstar has been feeling a few injury issues and, with Barcelona panicking at the other end of the telephone, he returned to Spain to leave his country without him.
It may have been a longer term issue for Argentina had Messi kept up his retirement plans. As it was, the footballer missed a grand total of zero games, before deciding his decision had perhaps been a little rash.
Argentina newspaper Ole report that Lamela could be the replacement for Messi’s role, and training apparently suggested so much over the weekend, perhaps giving the game away.
The other player with a decent shout to get the spot is Nico Gaitan, who finally left Benfica this summer and moved to La Liga’s Atletico Madrid.
Lamela’s progress at Tottenham hasn’t been ignored in Argentina, and the player’s competitive edge, which sometimes boils over, only goes to show he’s not the soft touch some in England had dismissed him as.
Argentina play Venezuela tomorrow, away in a tricky World Cup Qualifier, Lamela may well have big boots to fill.
