Key Argentina Players to Miss Zambia Clash

Argentina will be without several key players for their upcoming international friendly against Zambia, following a series of injury setbacks in camp.

Defender Gonzalo Montiel is the latest casualty after suffering a grade one muscle strain in his left hamstring. The injury was sustained during River Plate’s recent victory, ruling him out of both friendly matches against Mauritania and Zambia.

Montiel joins Leonardo Balerdi, who was earlier withdrawn from the squad, forcing head coach Lionel Scaloni to make late adjustments ahead of the FIFA international window.

To fill the gap, Scaloni has called up Lucas Martínez Quarta as a replacement in defence.

The growing injury list also includes several high-profile names such as Lisandro Martínez, Lautaro Martínez, Giovani Lo Celso and Juan Foyth, all of whom will miss the fixtures.

Despite the setbacks, captain Lionel Messi has already joined the squad, providing a major boost as the world champions prepare for the two matches.

Argentina will first face Mauritania on March 27 at La Bombonera before taking on Zambia on March 31.

The absence of several regular starters presents an opportunity for fringe players to step up but also slightly weakens the squad ahead of what is expected to be a competitive encounter against Zambia.

For Zambia, the missing stars could offer a psychological boost as Chipolopolo aim to test themselves against the reigning world champions on the global stage.