CORNERFLICK
Lionel Messi says Argentina are feeling the strain of a long World Cup campaign, but insists they will do everything possible to reach the semi-final against England in the best shape they can.
After the 3-1 extra-time win over Switzerland, the Argentina captain said fatigue has built up, especially after two matches that went beyond 90 minutes. “We try to rest because we’ve gone through a lot of fatigue,” he said. “The team clearly feels it and we will arrive in the best possible condition for this match to repeat what we have done so far: compete.”
Messi also called the England clash special because he has never faced them in his career. He described England as a major football power and said semi-finals are always a fine stage for a game like this.
He added praise for Julian Alvarez, who scored one of Argentina’s goals, and Lautaro Martinez, saying he was pleased with the result and wants the team to keep going in the same direction.