Yardbarker
x

Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martinez and teenage attacking midfielder Valentin Carboni are in the Argentina squad for pre-Copa America friendlies.

This is officially announced by the Argentina football association in a tweet containing the full squad for friendlies against Ecuador and Guatemala.

The Copa America is getting closer and closer.

Argentina are the holders in the competition, as they also are of the World Cup.

The Albiceleste beat Brazil in the final of the last edition of South America’s biggest international tournament, in the summer of 2021.

This summer, defending the crown will not be easy for Argentina. However, it will present an opportunity for them to further reinforce their status as arguably the strongest international team in the world.

Argentina will kick off their Copa America group stage next month against Canada.

Then there will be group stage clashes with the likes of Chile and Peru.

Lautaro Martinez & Valentin Carboni In Argentina Squad For Pre-Copa America Friendlies

There are two Inter players in the squad that Albiceleste coach Lionel Scaloni has selected for these two upcoming friendlies.

One is an absolute pillar of the Nerazzurri first team.

26-year-old striker Lautaro Martinez is Inter’s captain. He inherited the armband from Samir Handanovic last summer.

And since becoming Inter captain, Martinez has if anything found even better form than in previous seasons at the club.

The Argentine has scored 24 goals in Serie A this season, and 27 across all competitions.

Martinez remains a key player for Argentina.

Even the Inter striker’s poor form at the World Cup in Qatar and the emergence of Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez as a serious challenger for the starting spot in attack have not stopped him from starting regularly.

Meanwhile, 19-year-old attacking midfielder Valentin Carboni has been on loan at Monza this season.

That experience of regular senior top-flight football has helped Carboni grow in leaps and bounds.

So much so that the teenager is now a regular in the Argentina squad. And he will be part of the squad for the next two friendlies against Ecuador and Guatemala.

This article first appeared on SempreInter.com and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

+

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.