Lionel Messi is back in the Albiceleste squad for friendlies against Brazil and Uruguay in November, after serving a three-month ban.
Messi and Sergio Aguero were both included in the squad announced by Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni on Thursday for matches against Brazil on November 15 in Saudi Arabia and three days later against Uruguay in Israel.
Messi has not played for Argentina since he was sent off against Chile in their victorious third-place play-off match in the Copa América on July 7. The striker was then handed a three-month suspension for comments he made after the game, in which he accused CONMEBOL, the governing body of South American football, of corruption.
In Messi's absence, Argentina have played four friendlies, drawing against Chile (0-0) and Germany (2-2) while thrashing Mexico 4-0 and Ecuador 6-1. Messi's ban ends on November 3.
In-form Manchester City forward Sergio Agüero has been recalled after missing out on the last four friendlies, while Manchester United defender Marcos Rojo remains in the squad following his surprise recall after the Copa América.
Despite coming into some of the best form of his career, Paris Saint-Germain forward Ángel Di María was not included. His controversial teammate, Mauro Icardi, was also left out.
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Squad:
Goalkeepers: Agustín Marchesín (Porto), Juan Mussi (Udinese), Emiliano Martínez (Arsenal), Esteban Andrada (Boca Juniors).
Defenders: Juan Foyth (Tottenham), Renzo Saravia (Porto), Nicolás Otamendi (Manchester City), Germán Pezzella (Fiorentina), Marcos Rojo (Manchester United), Walter Kannemann (Gremio), Nicolás Tagliafico (Ajax), Nehuén Pérez (Famalicao).
Midfielders: Guido Rodríguez (América de México), Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham), Leandro Paredes (Paris Saint-Germain), Nicolás Domínguez (Vélez Sarsfield), Rodrigo de Paul (Udinese), Marcos Acuña (Sporting Lisbon), Roberto Pereyra (Watford), Lucas Ocampos (Sevilla).
Forwards: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Sergio Agüero (Manchester City), Nicolás González (Stuttgart), Lucas Alario (Bayer Leverkusen), Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan) and Paulo Dybala (Juventus).
– TIMES/AFP
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