On Monday the Argentine press were pondering whether Tottenham Hotspur’s Erik Lamela would get the nod to replace Lionel Messi for Argentina, or whether it would instead be Atletico Madrid’s Nico Gaitan.
By Tuesday it seems their mind has been made up: Lamela is getting the nod.
Argentina newspaper Ole says Lamela has won the ‘tug of war’ with Gaitan, and they use the analogy of a world record breaking ice cream parlour.
Heladería Coromoto is in Venezuela, where Argentina will be playing tonight, and they are in the Guinness Book of Records because they serve 860 flavours of ice cream, from chocolate (great) to salmon (urgh).
Whilst Argentina manager Edgardo Bauza doesn’t quite have a choice that extensive, or disturbing, he does have a wide range of options.
Lamela’s nickname is Coco, and Ole say Bauza has plumped for ‘Fútbol de Coco’.
The Argentine newspaper reckon Bauza feels that Lamela can help his possession style, and bring players into the game, but also make plays himself.
Bauza himself is quoted as saying Lamela’s “speed and technique” are positives for him.
Ole finish by saying that whilst Messi would be a unique flavour of ice cream, Argentina have good back-up options.
