Overview

• Kickoff is Thursday at 20:30 (ART) in a sold‑out Monumental, with TV coverage on TyC Sports and Telefe and an AFA-organized tribute featuring musical shows.
• Lionel Scaloni plans to settle his lineup after the final training session, with Julián Álvarez or Lautaro Martínez to partner Messi and Alexis Mac Allister a doubt as Enzo Fernández serves a suspension.
• Nicolás Otamendi worked in the gym during training but is expected to be available, with Cristian Romero anchoring the defense.
• Claudio Echeverri and Valentín Carboni trained with the U20s this week, indicating the youngsters are unlikely to figure prominently in the senior matches.
• Argentina’s staff is weighing whether to rest Messi for the Sept. 9 trip to Guayaquil, a scenario that would make Thursday’s game his final World Cup qualifier overall, while Venezuela’s Fernando Batista says his team came to compete for qualification rather than join a celebration.