Doha, Qatar.
The Argentine star Lionel Messi was very satisfied with the classification of the Albiceleste to the round of 16 of the Qatar World Cup 2022 as group leader and began to think about the next rival, Australiaabout which he warned about an excess of confidence.
“We have been watching all the World Cup matches. We watched Australia matches. Today everything is very difficult and whatever the opponent is, it is complicated, we experienced it firsthand (in last week’s defeat against Saudi Arabia), that anyone can play a game against you and win. Tomorrow we will begin to prepare as we prepare all the matches”, Messi said on Wednesday as he passed through the mixed zone of the 974 stadium in Doha, where Albiceleste beat Poland 2-0 on the third and last day of his key.
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The clash against the Australians will take place on Saturday, just three days after this game against the Poles. Australia, which beat Denmark 1-0 in the Group D finale, also played on Wednesday, albeit a few hours earlier.
“The truth is that it is very often. It is for all the same. They played a couple of hours before. Today was the hottest day of the three games we played, with a lot of humidity. We made an extra effort but we will try to rest and prepare in the best way”, he assured.
The Albiceleste had a difficult time in Group C after the defeat in their debut against Saudi Arabia (2-1), but later they turned the situation around, beating the Mexicans and Poles, in both cases 2-0.
THE INCIDENT WITH LEWANDOWSKI
Messi also spoke of the ‘incident’ with Robert Lewandowski in the last minutes of the game. The Polish forward committed a foul on the Argentine after a dribble from him.
Lewandowski went to apologize to Messi, the Argentine did not even look at the Barcelona striker and stared into infinity. After the end of the game, both players stayed chatting for a few moments on the pitch and hugged each other, sealing the peace.
In the mixed zone, Leo Messi was asked about that moment: “I respect everyone, both on and off the field and there is no problem”, he pointed out on the Onda Cero microphones.
‘La Pulga’ did not want to reveal what he had spoken with Lewandowski. “Nothing happens, nothing. He doesn’t speak Spanish… and they taught me that everything that happens on the pitch stays on the pitch and everything that happens in a locker room stays inside the locker room. Nothing is going to come out of me from intimacy ”.
For his part, ‘Lewy’ analyzed the matter in statements to the Polish press: “It was an interesting duel. The Leo thing was a mere curious fact. We exchanged a few words, but nothing special.”
THE FAILED PENALTY
Finally, Messi referred to the penalty that failed against Poland with 0-0 on the scoreboard. Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny guessed the strong shot and took it out with his right hand.
“I am angry for having missed the penalty but I think the team came out stronger after that mistake of mine. We knew that once the first goal came in, the game would change”, analyzed the Argentine star who beat Diego Armando Maradona in matches played with the national team in the World Cups.