News

Will they do history? The Bolviia plan that worries Lionel Messi

Bolivia bets on collective pressure against Messi

By David Arengas

Bolivia vs Argentina Photo: El País, TN

In a match that promises to be one of the most exciting in the South American qualifiers, the Bolivian national team has revealed its strategy to face the reigning world champions, Argentina. Coach Óscar Villegas has confirmed that his team will not implement a man-marking strategy on the Argentine star, Lionel Messi.

Instead of focusing solely on neutralizing the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, Villegas has opted to maintain the style of play that has led his team to three consecutive victories in the qualifiers. "We're going to stick to our game plan, which has given us positive results. The idea is to not give them much space, especially Messi, but without obsessing over him," said the Bolivian coach.

The decision not to man-mark Messi is a bold gamble, considering the talent and influence of the player on the Argentine team. However, Villegas is confident that his team can neutralize the Argentine star through collective pressure and good defensive organization.

"We know that Messi is an exceptional player and that he can unbalance a game at any moment. That's why we've worked hard on our defensive strategy. In addition to marking him in a zone, we'll try to take the ball away from him as quickly as possible," explained Villegas.

Bolivia's strategy is clear: to surprise Argentina and take advantage of any counter-attack opportunities that may arise. The Bolivians have shown in recent matches that they are a combative and organized team, capable of competing with any opponent.

It will be a match full of contrasts. On the one hand, Argentina arrives as the favorite and with the need to add points to secure their World Cup qualification. On the other hand, Bolivia will seek to pull off an upset and achieve a historic victory that would bring them closer to their goals.

Topics


More news