Edgardo Bauza denied having to twist Messi's arm in order to have him return to La Albiceleste for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers.

Argentina's newly appointed coach Edgardo Bauza shared details about his meeting with Lionel Messi. The former Sao Paulo boss hinted that "La Pulga" wasn't sure about announcing his comeback with La Albiceleste, since he was worried about what people might say about his decision.

Speaking to Argentinean newspaper La Nación, Bauza revealed that shame would have been the main reason for Messi to keep himself away from the National Team.

"Messi felt ashamed. He was worried about what people thought of him. I told him that people love him very much, but if he keeps paying attention to those idiots who criticize him and keep comparing him, he'll go nuts. We have to be careful with how we handle it, because it's frustrating for him. He's not immune to criticism," Bauza stated.

"El Patón" has won two Copa Libertadores titles during his coaching career.

Bauza also shared details about the topics he discussed with "La Pulga". The Argentine boss even revealed that Messi always included himself when talking about the team, hinting his desire to return to La Albiceleste.

"I wasn't there to twist his arm, I was there to talk about football. During the first 10 minutes, he was sitting there analyzing me. Then, we started talking like two old friends. The issue of his comeback came out naturally. When he spoke about tactics, he included himself in the talk. He was always keen on returning," Bauza added.

Argentina will return to the CONMEBOL Qualifiers next week, when they host Uruguay on September 1st. Five days later, La Albiceleste will play against Venezuela.

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