On Tuesday, Argentina locked horns with Spain in a friendly but saw their World Cup hopes taken down a peg or two after losing 6-1. Isco walked away with an impressive hat-trick, with La Roja ripping apart the opposition’s defense.
The match in Madrid turned out to be a nightmare for La Albiceleste. Despite the fact that several star names – Messi, Aguero, and Di Maria – were missing, it will have their fans worrying over their odds of lifting the title in Russia.
Jorge Sampaoli, on the other hand, put on a brave face after the final whistle. The defeat was huge, but the Argentina boss argued that the result does not accurately represent the difference in performance at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Additionally, he was quick to defend his men in spite of their shambolic display. Sampaoli stated that none of them was at fault and that the blame solely lies with one person: himself.
"I take the blame for the goals, don't point to the players," the former Sevilla tactician said, as per Marca.
"The difference [between the sides] in the game wasn't as large as the result.
"We have to learn from this. It cannot happen in the World Cup."
Regardless, this result will leave Argentina and their manager with more questions. After coming achingly close to winning the title in Brazil, the two-time champion does not look ready to finally lifting international football’s most coveted prize.
The return of Messi, Di Maria, and Aguero will undoubtedly be a boost. However, it will not solve their biggest problems: their overreliance on Leo and their leaky defense.
