Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has criticised the demanding FIFA World Cup schedule ahead of his team’s Round of 16 match against Egypt, arguing that players should receive more recovery time as the tournament reaches its decisive stages. The defending champions could face five matches in 17 days if they progress to the final, placing additional physical demands on the squad.

Argentina enter Tuesday’s match after being pushed to extra time by Cape Verde in a dramatic 3-2 victory in Miami. Several players suffered from cramp after playing an additional 30 minutes in intense heat, with an own goal by Diney Borges in the 111th minute eventually sending Argentina through. The team must now recover quickly before facing Egypt in Atlanta.

Scaloni said the rest period was not ideal, particularly after the conditions his players faced in Miami and the early kick-off for their next match. He noted that Egypt had slightly more time to recover and argued that rest should become more important as teams play additional matches in the later stages of the tournament, rather than schedules becoming increasingly demanding.

Also Read: Jose Mourinho’s Message Turns Cabo Verde Breakout Star’s World Cup Into Memorable Journey

The Argentina coach also highlighted the unusual challenges of a World Cup being staged across three countries, 16 host cities, multiple time zones and different climates. He said travel, heat and varying pitch conditions were making the tournament difficult for all teams and preventing any one side from establishing itself as the clear favourite.

Scaloni pointed to the elimination of major teams including Brazil, Portugal, Germany and the Netherlands as evidence of the tournament’s unpredictability. He also cited France’s difficult match against Paraguay, saying factors such as heat, kick-off times, playing surfaces and interruptions were influencing performances and allowing traditionally smaller teams to compete more closely with established football powers.

Despite concerns over the schedule, Scaloni confirmed that 39-year-old captain Lionel Messi is fit to start against Egypt after playing the full 120 minutes against Cape Verde. Messi has scored seven goals in Argentina’s four victories at the tournament. Leandro Paredes is expected to enter the starting line-up, allowing Alexis Mac Allister to operate in a more advanced midfield role.

Also Read: Cabo Verde Coach Praises Team After Extra-Time Loss to Argentina