‘Lionel Messi does not pick my team!’ – Argentina boss denies Barcelona striker forced him to exclude Mauro Icardi
Inter Milan forward Icardi is believed to be frozen out for stealing wife of Messi's mate Maxi Lopez
Sponsored by
ARGENTINA boss Edgardo Bauza has been sensationally forced to deny that Lionel Messi influences his team selection.
The rumours of Messi's involvement in choosing the squad date back to the days of previous boss Gerardo Martino but have strengthened after a run of poor results for the national side.
In Argentina's last three qualifiers they have drawn in Peru and Venezuela and lost at home to Paraguay, leaving them outside South America's four automatic World Cup qualifying spots.
The solution, for many Argentines, is Inter striker Mauro Icardi.
But picking him comes with one huge problem.
Icardi's wife, Wanda Nara, ditched his former mate Maxi Lopez to be with him.
Nara and Lopez were married for five years and had three kids together before she hooked up with 23-year-old Icardi.
Messi is believed to be very much on Team Maxi after coming through the Barcelona academy while his fellow Argentine was at the club.
Boss Bauza doesn't deny that Messi makes suggestions on team selection, but says they are no more than suggestions.
"When Messi sees something in the team he doesn't like, he says so, but it doesn't hurt the team.
"It is not true what is said that there are players who cannot be selected because they are not liked by the group."
Bauza adds that he simply believes Gonzalo Higuain, who flopped in 3 international finals, and Lucas Pratto, who plays for Atletico Mineiro in Brazil, are more worthy of call-ups.
"If I want to select him I will, but today he is below Higuain and Pratto."