Argentina arrive sans Lionel Messi for September 2 friendly
Seventeen other players are scheduled to arrive Tuesday for the Salt Lake stadium encounter.
A 19-member Argentine soccer team, including new nationalcoach Alejandro Sabella, arrived here Monday morning for the Sept 2 FIFA official friendly match against Venezuela but superstar Lionel Messi is expected only late Tuesday or early Wednesday.Sabella, assistant coach Julian Camino, third goalkeeper Esteban Andrada and other support staff arrived at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport after a gruelling 33-hour journey.The team was driven straight to their hotel from the airport.Seventeen other players are scheduled to arrive Tuesday for the Salt Lake stadium encounter.Messi's Bereceloan FC teammate Javier Mascherano will arrive with him, according to an official of match promoter Celebrity Management Group (CMG).This is the first FIFA official friendly in India.