Argentina Sweat Over Messi's Fitness Before World Cup Semi-final Clash Against England

Argentina and England are set to meet in a high-stakes FIFA World Cup semi-final in Atlanta. However, just before the much-awaited clash, reports emerged that Argentina captain Lionel Messi did not take part in the team's first training session on Sunday morning.

Despite concerns over his fitness, Messi's absence from training was part of the team's recovery plan rather than an injury issue. Sunday's session was mainly for substitutes and players who featured less in the previous match, allowing key starters to rest ahead of the semi-final.

“We are going to recover, which I think is what we need and is the most important thing,” said Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni after the match.

After Argentina's hard-fought 3-1 extra-time win over Switzerland, head coach Lionel Scaloni gave his players time to recover.

During the match, Lionel Messi was caught by a strong challenge from Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka, leaving him with a cut near his right eye after a collision inside the penalty area. However, medical tests confirmed that the injury was not serious, and the Argentine captain went on to play the full 120 minutes.

The latest decision by the management to rest Messi is therefore a precautionary measure, so that he could return to the field against England with full energy. It will be a crucial match for the superstar, as Argentina will be relying on him to deliver another standout performance in a thrilling World Cup semi-final.