Argentina rest Messi for World Cup qualifiers
-
Sabalenka sets up Wimbledon third-round clash with Ostapenko
-
Stocks drop with eyes on US Fed
-
Planned 1.7 million satellites 'devastating' for astronomy: study
-
Barca have bid for Atletico's Alvarez: president Laporta
-
Trump defends earning more than $1bn on crypto
-
'Smart' and 'very rational'? Iran's new leaders post-Ali Khamenei
-
Sciver-Brunt fit for England's T20 World Cup semi-final
-
Bordeaux-Begles handed favourable draw in Champions Cup defence
-
Key challenges for Laporta in second Barca term
-
'Thought they'd never be caught': The strike that killed Iran's Khamenei
-
Canada to join Eurovision Song Contest
-
Djokovic, Sinner hope for easier ride after Wimbledon scares
-
Swedish court orders Google pay $1.46 bn for favouring its price comparisons
-
Injured Serena's Wimbledon doubles bid with sister Venus in doubt
-
German FA headquarters searched in Euro 2024 graft probe
-
European stocks mostly drop with eyes on US Fed
-
Village People singer Victor Willis dies at 74
-
Genesio replaces Beye as Marseille boss
-
Thousands rush to get tickets for Bayeux Tapestry's UK show
-
Catholic society defies Vatican again by ordaining new bishops
-
Chinese firm sells hyper-real, 'always loyal' humanoid robots
-
Breakaway Catholic society defies Vatican again by ordaining bishops
-
World's oceans break June heat record: EU monitor
-
Venezuelans search, suffer one week after deadly quakes
-
China imposes 'national security' rules on overseas investments
-
Asian stocks mostly up as traders eye crucial US jobs data
-
'Nothing left except death': Myanmar families grieve huge war toll
-
Ronaldo and Modric struggle to defy Father Time at World Cup
-
England face DR Congo hurdle, USA prepare for World Cup moment in spotlight
-
The secret lives of Ukraine's deep-strike drone team
-
Myanmar mourns as post-coup conflict death toll hits 100,000
-
NATO project tests perennial grass to clean Ukraine's war-hit soil
-
Vietnam unveils 'baby bonus' after scrapping two-child policy
-
Duffy returns for New Zealand against West Indies
-
Majestic Olise raises France to another level at World Cup
-
Mbappe dazzles as France march on at World Cup; Norway, Mexico advance
-
Mexico see off Ecuador to break 40-year World Cup curse
-
US govt lifts restrictions on powerful AI models, Anthropic says
-
'My dream is broken': Japan visa rules push out foreign residents
-
Trump earned over $1 bn from crypto ventures in 2025
-
Indian sailors fear returning to Gulf after Middle East war
-
The Afghan women farmers keeping their village alive
-
Fear and anger brew inside Meta amid AI frenzy
-
Asian stocks fluctuate as traders eye crucial US jobs data
-
After 250 years, the 'American dream' is tarnished but alive
-
Madison Square Garden: from Nazis to Knicks, and now... Taylor's wedding?
-
'I'm going to stay calm': 48 hours under the rubble in Venezuela
-
'Love it': Wimbledon's military stewards tradition turns 80
-
Breakaway Catholic sect defies Vatican again by ordaining bishops
-
Venezuela quake survivors cherish kindness of strangers
Argentina rest Messi for World Cup qualifiers
Paris Saint-Germain star Lionel Messi, who recently recovered from a Covid-19 infection, was on Wednesday left out of Argentina's squad for World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Colombia, with the twice former winners already qualified for Qatar 2022.
Argentina will play Chile in Santiago on January 27 and Colombia at home on February 1 with both opponents still in contention to qualify for the tournament.
Messi contracted the virus whilst on holiday in his hometown of Rosario in Argentina in December.
On January 5, PSG announced that Messi, who joined them from Barcelona last year, was back in France after testing negative.
This week, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner and Argentina captain was back in full training for the French club.
He missed the French Cup match against Vannes and two league games, the 1-1 draw with Lyon and last Saturday's 2-0 defeat of Brest.
In all, Messi has missed 10 league matches since his arrival at PSG in August, and will make his first appearance of 2022 on Sunday against Reims.
Messi is the only one of his fellow Argentine PSG team mates not to be called up for the qualifiers, with winger Angel Di Maria and midfielder Leandro Paredes among the squad announced by coach Lionel Scaloni.
There were few changes to the 27-strong squad, with Christian Romero of Tottenham out injured, and only two Argentine club players, both from River Plate: veteran goalkeeper Franco Armani and forward Julian Alvarez, who was voted the South American Footballer of the year in 2021.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Franco Armani (River Plate), Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa/ENG), Juan Musso (Atalanta/ITA), Esteban Andrada (Monterrey/MEX)
Defenders: Nahuel Molina (Udinese/ITA), Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla/ESP), German Pezzella (Real Betis/ESP), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica/POR), Lisandro Martinez (Ajax/NED), Lucas Martinez Quarta (Fiorentina/ITA), Nicolas Tagliafico (Ajax/NED), Marcos Acuna (Sevilla/ESP)
Midfielders: Lucas Ocampo (Sevilla/ESP), Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Leandro Paredes (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis/SPA), Giovanni Lo Celso (Tottenham/ENG), Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton/ENG), Emiliano Buendia (Aston Villa/ENG), Alejandro Gomez (Sevilla/ESP)
Forwards: Nicolas Gonzalez (Fiorentina/ITA), Angel Di Maria (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan/ITA), Julian Alvarez (River Plate), Joaquin Correa (Inter Milan/ITA)
O.Mousa--SF-PST
