Lionel Scaloni’s team participated in a training session at the Athletic Club stadium with the presence of the public prior to the duel with Italy
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The public accompanied Messi and the Argentine team in Bilbao
A few days before the grand final that Argentina and Italy will play in the mythical stadium of Wembley valid for the Finalissima, the Argentine team completed an open practice in San Mamés, the historic venue that Athletic Club recently renovated, before thousands of people who had the opportunity to see Lionel Messi and the rest of the team led by Scaloni.
In the middle of their stay in Bilbao, the city in which the Argentine squad concentrated once the participation of each of the soccer players in their respective leagues ended, the albiceleste team together with the club organized a special training session. Admission was not free: members of the Basque Country institution paid 10 euros, while supporters who came to the stadium paid 12 to see the Argentine stars.
Once the players went out on the field, the first job in charge of the physical trainer Luis Martín arranged a game for the protagonists to relax at the start of the tasks: divided into two groups, they put together a rondo in which they had to head a ball all holding hands.
Warming up for pure fun
Then, some light physical work followed until the planning of the DT and his coaching staff arranged definition exercises. And that was when those present moved to the area behind the arches to enjoy the figures. A shot from Giovani Lo Celso that went into the corner, several strokes from Ángel Di María and Messi, added to the aim of Nicolás Otamendi, drew applause from the fans in Bilbao.
Another highlight of the training session was a brilliant save by Juan Musso. The Atalanta goalkeeper, from Italy, who is fighting for a place on the World Cup roster, reached out to pull out a kind of scissors that Fideo tried at the beginning of the definition tasks.
To finish the practice in San Mamés, the players took part in a football in small spaces in which they also showed all their ability with the ball. Before the end, the soccer players were fired with applause by the people who took advantage of Saturday afternoon and saw several of their idols. For example, one of them, Leandro Paredes, who worked differently, signed autographs and took photos with fans in the stalls.
A goal factory in practice
The story for the Argentine national team in Spain will continue this Sunday with a new training session at the Lezama venue, which has Athletic Bilbao. On Monday he will do the same and on Tuesday he will fly to London to await the Finalissima against the Azzurra. Ahead of the match against the team led by Roberto Mancini, Scaloni is expected to take the field with the base team with some modifications.
Dibu Martínez will be the goalkeeper; Nahuel Molina and Marcos Acuña will be the sides. At the rear, Cuti Romero is expected to evolve – if his place does not come, it will be taken by Germán Pezzella – and the other defender will be Nicolás Otamendi. Rodrigo De Paul, Guido Rodríguez and Gio Lo Celso will be in the middle, while Di María, Lautaro Martínez and captain Messi will play in attack.
Great save from Musso to Di Maria