Bati will not play in Argentina friendlies

Nov 12th, 99

Sources: Diario Ole, La Nacion, TyC

English summary translated by Jas

Report from Dr. Manzuoli indicates that Bati still feels pain on his sprain left ankle and therefore will not be able to make the trip to Barcelona for the two Argentina friendlies. It was a news that Bielsa didn't hope to hear. In a phone conversation between Manzuoli and Argentina's team doctor, Villani, Manzuoli explained that Bati has begun to feel pain on his ankle and thought that it's better for Bati to have an absolute rest until Tuesday.

Before giving Bielsa the bad news, Villani spoke to Bati on the phone who confirmed the diagnosis of the Fiorentina doctor. The spirit of Bati is clear, he was disappointed, he had built up hopes that he could recover in time to play against Spain but it wasn't going to be. Bati was injured on last Saturday in a match between Cagliari and Fiorentina, he was stretched out of the field minutes before the game ended.

When Bielsa found out that Bati will not be able to train normally until Tuesday, he advised Bati not to come to Barcelona and prefered him to stay in Florence to recover.

Although Bati had stated how much he wants to play against Spain, he doesn't want to take the risk.

This is a big blow to Bielsa who was hoping that Bati could play in either one of the two matches. Coach Bielsa has now decided to discard Bati definitively for both friendly matches.

The tentative probable line-up

Germán Burgos; Nelson Vivas, Roberto Sensini and Mauricio Pochettino; Claudio Husaín, Matías Almeyda, González or Zanetti, Marcelo Gallardo and Ariel Ortega; Hernán Crespo and Claudio López.