After their 7-0 victory against Burkina Faso, which took place in farcical circumstances, Argentina is preparing for another match under unusual circumstances. Their upcoming opponent, Benin, also encountered problems traveling to South America.
The Argentine national team is certainly experiencing a turbulent autumn international break. After a 4-0 victory against Bolivia that didn’t generate much reaction, things have been very different in recent days. Indeed, the Albiceleste thrashed Burkina Faso 7-0, but in rather chaotic circumstances.
The Stallions fielded a revamped team of U23 players because of travel arrangements handled by the Argentine Football Association. The Burkinabe team took a low-cost flight and received no bonus, which led to this last-minute squad change.
Worse still, the players landed in Argentina just three hours before kickoff and had no time to rest after the long journey. This logically led to a larger-than-expected gap in the scoreline and was not well received by the Argentine press, which was critical of the situation.
Benin Dealt With Travel Problems, Hotel Issues Before Argentina Match
And things aren’t likely to calm down. While Lionel Messi’s final appearance in an Argentinian jersey will take place on Tuesday, October 6th at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, the match against Benin will also be played in a rather unusual atmosphere. The Cheetahs have faced several problems leading up to the match, as Megasport revealed.
The facilities were far from ideal. The players had no hot water at the hotel, the sauna was out of order, equipment was lacking, and the artificial turf training pitch and fitness room were inadequate for a professional team. Furthermore, the Benin national team took a 23-hour economy flight, and video analyst Jonas Bidé suffered a blackout.
Several players were also absent, namely Junior Olaitan (Besiktas), Charlemagne Azongnitodé (TPS), and Sahid Ngobi (VPS). However, the situation has improved, with everything gradually returning to normal. Nevertheless, it has been a turbulent time for Benin, and this will not improve Argentina’s reputation.
Messi’s legacy in Argentina will remain intact, so that part should not be misunderstood. However, this is not the first time the Argentine Football Association has been involved in issues that come close to corruption problems, or at least with the objective of benefiting in some way. Let’s see how this goes.
Argentina and Lionel Messi in Middle of Controversy Ahead of Benin Game