Argentina Call Up Messi, Lamela

Argentina have recalled Tottenham Hotspur forward Erik Lamela for this month’s double-header of friendlies against Mexico, the country’s football association said on Thursday, while Sergio Aguero and Lionel Messi remain out.

Lamela, who has 23 caps, last played for the national side against Venezuela in a World Cup qualifier in 2016 but missed much of last season and the Russia World Cup with a hip injury.

Interim coach Lionel Scaloni also gave a first call-up to Racing’s 20-year-old attacking midfielder Matias Zaracho.

There was no place for Barcelona’s Messi, who announced he was taking a sabbatical from international football after Argentina’s disappointing performance in Russia, where they won only one game and were knocked out by France in the last 16, as well as Manchester City’s Aguero, whose last match for Argentina was also against France.

Argentina will play Mexico in Cordoba on Nov. 16 and then again in Mendoza four days later.

Argentina squad vs. Mexico:

Goalkeepers: Agustin Marchesin (Club America), Sergio Romero (Manchester United), Geronimo Rulli (Real Sociedad)

Defenders: Ramiro Funes Mori (Villarreal), German Pezzella (Fiorentina), Renzo Saravia (Racing), Nicolas Tagliafico (Ajax), Walter Kannemann (Gremio), Nicolas Otamendi (Manchester City), Gabriel Mercado (Sevilla), Emanuel Mammana (Zenit), Juan Marcos Foyth (Tottenham)

Midfielders: Marcos Acuna (Sporting Lisbon), Maximiliano Meza (Independiente), Franco Vazquez (Sevilla), Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis), Leandro Paredes (Zenit), Santiago Ascacibar (Stuttgart), Rodrigo Battaglia (Sporting Lisbon), Matias Zaracho (Racing), Roberto Pereyra (Watford)

Forwards: Rodrigo De Paul (Udinese), Franco Cervi (Benfica), Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan), Mauro Icardi (Inter Milan), Giovanni Simeone (Fiorentina), Paulo Dybala (Juventus), Erik Lamela (Tottenham), Eduardo Salvio (Benfica)