Lionel Messi has not recovered in time to start Argentina’s Copa America curtain-raiser against Chile, with Nicolas Gaitan replacing the captain in Santa Clara, reports Goal.
Messi had been fighting to return from an injury he sustained against Honduras at the end of May, with his rehabilitation interrupted by his return to Barcelona to answer tax fraud charges last week.
The Blaugrana star is still in pain following the blow to his back, and decided he was not fit to start against Juan Antonio Pizzi’s side. Argentina coach Gerardo Martino had stated on Sunday that Messi would be given the chance to prove his fitness ahead of the Chile match, but Gaitan will be drafted in to the starting XI as the decision was made not to risk the captain.
The Benfica winger will thus make his first appearance in a major international tournament, alongside Gonzalo Higuain and Angel Di Maria in a three-man attack. Atletico Madrid’s Augusto Fernandez will also start, after Erik Lamela was affected by injury troubles in the build-up to the Albiceleste’s 2016 Copa debut.
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