The Premier League will reportedly ignore a request from the Argentina FA to rest its players ahead of the World Cup. The Premier League calendar has games on the weekend of November 12 and 13. The tournament in Qatar starts just a week later.
Sportsmail claimed that at least one Premier League club had officially rejected Argentina’s request. The FA of the South American country requested the release of one of its players ahead of schedule. This would have meant that the player would miss his club’s last game before the tournament. Argentina is one of the favorites for the next World Cup.
The aforementioned report also suggests that the Premier League club has been in contact with other English teams. These discussions between the top-flight clubs help to get the teams on the same page. No Premier League club is expected to allow the early departure of its Argentine players.
Argentina wishes rest for Premier League players
There are currently eight players from Argentina on the Premier League rosters. Lisandro Martínez and Alejandro Garnacho at Manchester United, Emiliano Buendía and Emiliano Martínez at Aston Villa, Julián Álvarez at Manchester City, Cristian Romero at Tottenham, Alexis Mac Allister at Brighton and Marcos Senesi at Bournemouth.
All eight of these players have made Argentina’s preliminary squad for the World Cup. However, the final list is shortened before the start of the tournament.
Argentina has scheduled a friendly a few days before the last Premier League games before the break. They will travel to Abu Dhabi to face the United Arab Emirates on November 16. The World Cup begins for the South Americans just six days later.
The two-time World Cup winners are in an interesting group for the upcoming tournament. They will have to play against Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland during the group stage. Superstar Lionel Messi confirmed that this will be his last chance to lift the elusive World Cup trophy.
PHOTO: IMAGO / AFLOSPORT
