Argentina and Bolivia will meet in a friendly at midnight GMT on Thursday, 1 October, with the spotlight on an Argentina side beginning life without Lionel Messi. Both teams are expected to make changes as they prepare for the fixture.
Argentina
The match represents another significant step for Argentina’s national team, following Messi’s announcement of his international retirement in August last year. Although the former captain is still due to play a farewell match against Benin in the coming days, he will not feature against Bolivia.
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni is expected to use the fixture to accelerate the team’s generational transition. Nicolas Paz and Franco Mastantuono are set to be given greater responsibility in midfield and attack, alongside established forwards Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez.
The expected Argentina line-up is:
Goalkeeper: Emiliano Martinez
Defenders: Agustin Giay, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Tagliafico, Facundo Medina
Midfielders: Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, Nicolas Gonzalez, Franco Mastantuono
Forwards: Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez
The match is one of the first opportunities for Argentina to assess how its attacking and midfield structure can develop without Messi, while still relying on several members of the team’s established core.
Bolivia
Bolivia manager Oscar Villegas is expected to retain much of the side that started against Paraguay. However, some changes are likely as he looks to improve both the team’s defensive solidity and its effectiveness in attack.
The expected Bolivia line-up is:
Goalkeeper: Billy Viscarra
Defenders: Efrain Morales, Luis Haquin, D. Arroyo
Midfielders: Diego Medina, Hector Cuellar, Tonino Melgar, G. Villamil, R. Fernandez
Forwards: Miguelito, Fernando Nava
Bolivia will therefore approach the friendly with a largely familiar starting XI, while seeking adjustments capable of producing a more balanced performance against the two-time world champions.
The match is due to take place at midnight GMT on Thursday, 1 October. Argentina are listed as the strong favourites by the betting company 1xbet, with a price of 1,11 for an Argentina victory. A draw is rated at 11,30, while Bolivia are priced at 32,00 to win.