Aston Villa to snub Argentina request ahead of World Cup – report
Aston Villa are set to join other Premier League clubs in rejecting a request from Argentina ahead of the World Cup, according to the Daily Mail.
The reigning Copa America champions are keen to have their squad in tip-top shape for the start of the tournament and have already asked one English club if they can not play their Argentine players for the final game before the break.
But they have already said no and informed other top-flight clubs to expect the same call and give the same response which includes Aston Villa.
Emiliano Martinez and Emiliano Buendia are the two Argentine internationals in Unai Emery’s squad while Manchester United (Lisandro Martinez and Alejandro Garnacho), Brighton (Alexis Mac Allister) and Tottenham (Cristian Romero) also have players set for Qatar.
Lionel Scaloni wants his full squad to be available in time for a pre-tournament friendly against the United Arab Emirates on 16 November, just three days after Villa take on the Seagulls at The Amex.
Deal with it
The Argentina FA should surely understand that they have no power whatsoever over club sides and especially those in the Premier League over which they hold zero jurisdiction.
It’s a risky move to ask clubs and managers to weaken their sides just so they can have a decent team in a friendly which doesn’t really matter.
At Villa Park, Scaloni might just get lucky with Martinez potentially a risk depending on his condition after he was forced off in the 4-0 loss at Newcastle United with a very obvious concussion.
Buendia, meanwhile, is by no means a guaranteed starter but has played more than an hour from the beginning in the past two matches under caretaker boss Aaron Danks.
In fact, the 25-year-old has played a part in every single Aston Villa game so far this season so there is little to suggest a change in that before the World Cup.
In other Aston Villa news, this Villa Park starlet is loving life on loan in the Championship and is unlikely to be recalled when the January window opens.