Messi is not at all happy with the media being ill-treating Argentina team and thus he is leading his 26 men Argentina squad in a protest on Tuesday against the mistreatment by media. He said that he and his team is boycotting the press until further notice. Messi recently inspires a 3-0 win over Colombia scoring one goal and laying on the other two which put Argentina’s World Cup qualifying campaign back on track.
Messi announced a post-match press conference with his 25 teammates attending the conference and said: “We have decided not to speak any more with the press.” The captain said “We’ve received many accusations, a lot of lack of respect and we never said anything. We’re very sorry it has to be like this but we have no option.”
Before he and the entire team walked out he added, We know there are lots of you who are not in the game of not showing us respect… but getting into one’s personal life is very grave and that’s why we’re here (announcing this).”
In a recent move his players have suffered a criticism by sectors of the Argentine media over a loss of form and poor results but what sparked was a radio report alleging Ezequiel Lavezzi smoked marijuana after a practice which resulted in the team acting together and pressing a ban on media.
The entire Argentina team got agitated with this and the team took a stand. However, Coach Edgardo Bauza was happy for the team for the victory made by them and he expressed this in a media conference which was held later. He said “I told the players I’m happy for them after a week of criticism… and because it wasn’t an easy match,” “Messi is a great and decisive player; he showed that in the first goal and with the others.”
The team received some sharp critics in media after the team went down 3-0 to Brazil in Belo Horizonte last Thursday. It was their second consecutive defeat and followed two draws thus leaving Argentina with just two points out of possible 12. With this win, it means they have 19 points from 12 matches in fifth place in the South American group. The top four teams straight away go to the finals in Russia in 2018 while the fifth qualifies for an intercontinental playoff. Next year there will be six rounds of matches with Argentina resuming their campaign at home to Chile, who are fourth in Brazil, Uruguay, and Ecuador.
