2018 FIFA WC: Sampaoli announces provisional Argentina squad for Russia with star-studded attacking players


XtraTime Web Desk:
 Coach Jorge Sampaoli announces 35-men provisional Argentina squad for Russia. The squad is perhaps having one of the most star-studded attacking players among the participating teams, with the likes of Messi, Aguero, Dybala, Di Maria and Higuain.

Injured  midfielder Lucas Biglia has been included in the preliminary, 35-player Argentina squad for the World Cup in Russia on Monday.

Also, four players with few or no games for the national team have been picked.

The final 23-man squad will be announced next Monday.

Aguero has not played for Manchester City since March because of a left knee injury and had surgery in April.

Biglia broke two vertebrae in April, missed three AC Milan games, and was injured again on Sunday after an Atalanta player hit him in the operated area.

Coach Jorge Sampaoli considers Aguero and Biglia as likely starters in the World Cup for the opening match against Iceland in Moscow on June 16. The two will be closely followed when the squad gathers.

Argentina:

Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero (Manchester United), Wilfredo Caballero (Chelsea), Nahuel Guzman (Tigres), Franco Armani (River Plate).

 

Defenders: Nicolas Otamendi (Manchester City), Federico Fazio (Roma), Nicolas Tagliafico (Ajax), Gabriel Mercado (Sevilla), Eduardo Salvio (Benfica), Marcos Acuna (Sporting Lisbon) Javier Mascherano (Hebei China Fortune), Marcos Rojo (Manchester United), German Pezzella (Fiorentina), Ramiro Funes Mori (Everton), Cristian Ansaldi (Torino).

 

Midfielders: Angel Di Maria, Giovani Lo Celso (Paris Saint-Germain), Ever Banega (Sevilla), Manuel Lanzini (West Ham), Leandro Paredes (Zenit St. Petersburg), Diego Perotti (Roma), Maximiliano Meza (Independiente), Enzo Perez (River Plate), Ricardo Centurion (Racing), Lucas Biglia (AC Milan), Guido Pizarro (Sevilla), Rodrigo Battaglia (Sporting Lisbon), Cristian Pavon and Pablo Perez (Boca Juniors).

 

Strikers: Paulo Dybala, Gonzalo Higuain (Juventus), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Sergio Aguero (Manchester City), Lautaro Martinez (Racing), Mauro Icardi (Inter Milan).