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Is there an underlying problem in the Argentina camp?

Argentina might have qualified for the World Cup knockout stages but there is much concern about...



Is there an underlying problem...
Soccer

Is there an underlying problem in the Argentina camp?

Argentina might have qualified for the World Cup knockout stages but there is much concern about the team.

Both wins against Bosnia and Iran were accompanied by below par performances which required magic from Lionel Messi to swing things in the Alibceleste's favour.

But are they simply gaining momentum or should there be real concern?

Argentine football expert Marcela Mora y Araojo explained that the Argentine press think "there is a sense of something not being quite right" with Argentina at the moment.

"There is a feeling that there is either a power struggle between the manager and some of the players, or maybe that it's not that at all, and that it's the players not finding a rhythm to accommodate Messi. There is a lot of speculation in the Argentine press," said Mora y Araojo, adding that the key for the Argentine media is what Messi wants.

"There is an interesting thing about Messi where he just doesn't look happy, delighted or rejoicing and we kind of want him to," said Mora y Araojo, explaining that it is pure speculation for now. 

She also believes that manager Alejandro Sabella's instinct is to be more defensive and also questioned whether there really is a power struggle between him and Messi as suggested by sections of the Argentine media.

Mora y Araojo also explained why Messi needs to be in a system to thrive and analysed whether Sabella has found the right starting XI to fit around the Barcelona star.

She also spoke about the recent spat between Diego Maradona and Julio Grondona, the head of the Argentine FA which ended with the Albiceleste flipping the bird on TV.

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