WC Winner Argentina will clash against Panama in a Friendly match

The current World Champions Argentina will face off against Panama in a friendly encounter on Friday, 24th March at 05:00 AM IST. This match is scheduled to take place at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 3-times WC winners the Albiceleste are expected to field a strong playing XI in their next two friendly matches against Panama and Curacao this month.

The Argentine team met twice with its Central American counterpart. Lionel Messi-led side is expected to win both fixtures and continue its winning celebrations which they left in Qatar after beating France in the final of the 2022 WC.

The first duel between Argentines and Panamanians was on May 20, 2009, in a friendly at the Brigadier General Estanislao López Stadium in Santa Fe. The team led by Diego Armando Maradona at the time attended the meeting with players at the local level and won 3-1 with goals from Matías De Federico and Gonzalo Bergessio twice. Nelson Barahona temporarily equalized for the visitor.

The second clash was for the 2016 Copa América Centenario that took place in the United States. That June 10 at Solder Field in Chicago, for the second date of the group stage, Gerardo Martino's team won with goals from Nicolás Otamendi, and a hat-trick from Messi, who came on from the substitute bench; and the same from Sergio Agüero.

For this match, Argentina's coach Scaloni has 34 players available to line up 11 as starters for the duel against the Central Americans. This Tuesday he gave a press conference at the property that the Argentine Football Association (AFA) has in Ezeiza and stated that the initial idea for the duel is to use the 25 available that were consecrated in the World Cup: "In principle, they will those who were in the World Cup will play, then we'll see in the game. I would like people to see those players play."

The rival, meanwhile, will not present their best exponents because, on Tuesday, March 28, they will play a match for the League of Nations of the Confederation of North America, Central America and the Caribbean Football against Costa Rica, which will be important for their future in the contest and, also, the classification to the Copa América 2024. For this reason, not even his coach, Thomas Christiansen, will be with the squad.

Probable Playing XI:

Argentina: Martinez; Molina, Otamendi, Li. Martinez, Acuna; De Paul, Fernandez, Mac Allister; Messi, Alvarez, Di Maria

Panama: Guerra; Anderson, Ramos, Peralta, Farina, Galvan; Murillo, Camargo, Quintero; Cordoba, Stephens