Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano has been named to lead Argentina in their friendly international against France next month.
The 24-year-old is one of three Premier League players named in Diego Maradona’s squad with Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez and Newcastle’s Jonas Gutierrez also included for the game in Marseille on February 11.Mascherano will captain the Albicelestes for just the second time after being named captain by Maradona ahead of his first game in charge against Scotland last November.
Barcelona winger Lionel Messi missed that game, but has been named to make his first appearance since Maradona took over.
Messi missed the 1-0 win over the Scots because of a verbal agreement between Barcelona and the Argentina Football Association (AFA) that he would not play in friendly matches.
However, with the resumption of Argentina’s World Cup qualification campaign looming the 21-year-old got clearance from Barca boss Pep Guardiola for that restriction to be lifted.
The deal had originally been put in place as an act of goodwill from the AFA after Barcelona allowed the Messi to appear at the Beijing Olympics despite a Court of Arbitration of Sport ruling that they could justifiably deny him from doing soMessi missed the 1-0 win over the Scots because of a verbal agreement between Barcelona and the Argentina Football Association (AFA) that he would not play in friendly matches.
However, with the resumption of Argentina’s World Cup qualification campaign looming the 21-year-old got clearance from Barca boss Pep Guardiola for that restriction to be lifted.
The deal had originally been put in place as an act of goodwill from the AFA after Barcelona allowed the Messi to appear at the Beijing Olympics despite a Court of Arbitration of Sport ruling that they could justifiably deny him from doing so.
Veteran defender Walter Samuel will also make a return to the national team - more than two years since he last appeared for the Albicelestes in a friendly against Brazil in London.
The 24-year-old is one of three Premier League players named in Diego Maradona’s squad with Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez and Newcastle’s Jonas Gutierrez also included for the game in Marseille on February 11.Mascherano will captain the Albicelestes for just the second time after being named captain by Maradona ahead of his first game in charge against Scotland last November.
Barcelona winger Lionel Messi missed that game, but has been named to make his first appearance since Maradona took over.
Messi missed the 1-0 win over the Scots because of a verbal agreement between Barcelona and the Argentina Football Association (AFA) that he would not play in friendly matches.
However, with the resumption of Argentina’s World Cup qualification campaign looming the 21-year-old got clearance from Barca boss Pep Guardiola for that restriction to be lifted.
The deal had originally been put in place as an act of goodwill from the AFA after Barcelona allowed the Messi to appear at the Beijing Olympics despite a Court of Arbitration of Sport ruling that they could justifiably deny him from doing soMessi missed the 1-0 win over the Scots because of a verbal agreement between Barcelona and the Argentina Football Association (AFA) that he would not play in friendly matches.
However, with the resumption of Argentina’s World Cup qualification campaign looming the 21-year-old got clearance from Barca boss Pep Guardiola for that restriction to be lifted.
The deal had originally been put in place as an act of goodwill from the AFA after Barcelona allowed the Messi to appear at the Beijing Olympics despite a Court of Arbitration of Sport ruling that they could justifiably deny him from doing so.
Veteran defender Walter Samuel will also make a return to the national team - more than two years since he last appeared for the Albicelestes in a friendly against Brazil in London.
