At some point in the cycle Lionel Scaloni, Lautaro Martínez He was the top scorer for the Argentine national team. He then combined his drought with the punctuality of Lionel Messi to mark and the equation was reversed. The captain is already comfortably the top scorer during the Pujato coach’s management, with 41 so many, followed by the Bull, with 21.
Without ceasing to be included in the calls, and even enjoying a high rating from Scaloni, Martínez gave up his starting place in favor of Julian Alvarez. The castling of names was consolidated during the World Cup, when the Inter striker’s lack of effectiveness was combined with a physical discomfort.
This order of priorities will be corroborated in Tuesday’s friendly against Costa Rica, in Los Angeles, where several of the starters will return, including Álvarez, who was not there from the beginning against The Savior, the weak Central American representative against whom Lautaro could not break the spell, beyond the fact that his contribution was important collectively, offering himself as a relief for his teammates.
Lautaro’s last goal was a year and a half ago
Although he had a big personal celebration, with the penalty that defined the series against the Netherlands In the quarterfinals of the World Cup, the Bahiense does not become regular time of a match since September 23, 2022, at 3-0 Honduras in a friendly Since then they passed 775 minutes (eight and a half matches), distributed in 16 games without converting, with two assists. That package includes the highest demands of the World Cup, but also permeable defenses that he could not pierce, such as those of Jamaica, Panama, Curacao and El Salvador.
Minutes after the defeat of El Salvador, Martínez appeared strong and also addressed some questions: “I hope I have another opportunity to score, smile again and prove everything to those people who talk so much about me that they are wrong, because I always give my best. I try to demonstrate on the court. After You speak, let the people speak. That doesn’t interest me much because in every training session I show the coach that I am always available for anything: being a starter, substitute or not coming in. In short, I work to wear this shirt because it is the cutest. I like to compete, give my best. Sometimes the goal is not given. I tried, but it couldn’t get in either. I will continue working. When you don’t convert, they hit you more.”
Scaloni confirmed his confidence: “I’m not worried because He puts her on his team and he’ll put her here. He played a good game, not only in terms of movements, but physically he is fine, it is not worrying. He (Lautaro) wants to score a goal and when he doesn’t get it he doesn’t like it, but we are calm.”
Scaloni’s expression “he puts her on his team” refers to his best season of the six that he has in Interovershadowed by a painful failure: Lautaro the last penalty shot to the stands of the series that meant the elimination against Atlético de Madrid for the round of 16 of the Champions League. Social networks were flooded with memes, ridiculing the high shot: balls turned into meteorites, landing on the Moon, on Mars or on the Santiago Bernabéu field.
That action was a contrast with what has been his course: 23 goals and four assists in 26 games for Serie A, in which Inter is heading to the scudetto. In addition to being the captain, this season he reached the 128 so many as black and blue y surpassed Mauro Icardi (124) as the highest scoring Argentine in the club’s history. “It is important beat that record, be in Inter’s history. Today, with the captain’s ribbon within a young group, I feel important within the team. That, for one, is special. “People let me know their love,” Lautaro expressed to TyC Sports.
The club that has Javier Zanetti as one of the vice presidents negotiate a contract extension which expires in 2026. Conversations continue between the 10 million euros per season that Lautaro and the ocho that Inter offered.
In Italy, the Bull received harsh criticism from the opposite side, Alessandro Costacurta, glory of Milan: “In Europe we need another mentality. I expected something more from Lautaro, He didn’t do well in the World Cup either. It makes me think that at certain stages he fails to stand out.”
Lautaro reminded the former Milan defender that last season he scored a goal to eliminate the classic rival in the Champions League semifinals: “Sometimes you try to control yourself when speaking. Those comments are wrong, what he said bothers me. Even though they are opinions, they have to be fair. He (Costacurta) said that in important games he did not appear. That is not true. I scored a goal in a semi-final against Milan, in one of the most important games in history of the two clubs. Beyond the goal, the game that Inter played, the game that I played… I invite you to see it”.
El Toro said that he fully shares the comment of Edinson Cavani, who after the double for the Argentine Cup is going through his most inspired moment in Boca. “The goal does not open, we forwards make it open by working. It is a lie that the arch opens, it is like people who wait for things to rain down from the sky. You have to work, work and work,” said the Uruguayan.
Aside from the goal issues, the player from Bahia was another of the members of the senior team who showed a willingness to be part of the Olympic team squad for the Paris Games: “Obviously, if you want to count on me (for Mascherano), I will always be available. If you are listening, I confirm that I am available. Afterwards, obviously, it is not up to us. We will exert force if the call comes.”
Lautaro’s statements were along the same lines as those expressed by Cristian Romero, Emiliano Martínez, Nicolás Otamendi, Nicolás Tagliafico and Rodrigo De Paul. Beyond the desire of these players (Olympic regulations allow three players over 23 years of age), there are of weight impediments: A few weeks before the Games, the Copa América will be held, and the clubs are not obliged by regulation to transfer their players to the Olympic competition, which will greatly overload the activity at a time of the year that should be dedicated to rest and the beginning of the preseason. .