- Lionel Scaloni says criticism of his players’ behavior is “out of touch with reality”.
- 17 yellow cards and one red card were shown in World Cup quarterfinal.
- Scaloni argued it was wrong to charge players with poor sportsmanship.
In the spirited World Cup quarterfinal encounter against the Netherlands, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni dismissed criticism of his players’ actions, claiming it is “out of touch with reality.”
Players battled repeatedly before and after Argentina won a penalty shootout to progress to the semifinals, resulting in 17 yellow cards, a World Cup match record, and one sending-off.
Scaloni argued that it was wrong to charge his players with poor sportsmanship, citing examples of how they had previously conducted themselves following games, regardless of the outcome.
One day prior to Argentina’s semifinal match against Croatia, Scaloni declared, “We have to break this stigma that we do not know how to win or lose.” “After our first game against Saudi Arabia ended in defeat, we quietly checked into the hotel to continue preparations for the next match.
“We won the Copa America in Brazil (last year), and I believe you saw the most beautiful image of sportsmanship you could imagine, with Neymar, Lionel Messi, Leandro Paredes, and other players sitting on the stairs of the Maracana,” said the player.
According to Scaloni, the criticism wounded Argentina’s “pride.”
Through the interpreter, he declared, “This matter needs to be resolved. “We hold the Netherlands in the same high regard that we hold Croatia and all of our adversaries.
“We need to do rid of the notion that we don’t understand how to win or lose. That is completely disconnected from reality.
Argentina was only one loss from elimination after the devastating setback to Saudi Arabia, but it handled the pressure well and won three straight games to go to the quarterfinals. There, the team gave up goals in the 83rd and the 11th of stoppage time, allowing the Netherlands to force extra time.
Nicolas Tagliafico, a defender for Argentina, claimed that his side thrives while playing risky.
The left back, who is expected to replace the suspended Marcos Acuna in the lineup against Croatia, stated, “We have enough experience to be like this at the moment. “There will be times during knockout games where we will have to endure hardship.
“We possess the personality needed to live it and make it enjoyable. We are defending the national team’s colours.
Argentina has had trouble keeping its composure late in games throughout the knockout round, as evidenced by Australia’s great chances in the round of 16’s last minutes and the Netherlands’ subsequent comeback from two goals down.
Scaloni acknowledged that Argentina needed to improve in that area but claimed the team was having trouble adjusting to the increased length of stoppage time used at the 2018 World Cup.
The addition of eight, nine, or ten minutes of extra time is a novelty, according to Scaloni, and it makes the winning team feel uneasy. “This World Cup is bringing about a whole new environment. I won’t comment on whether it is fair or not, but it will be standard in future competitions.
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