Argentina players want Sampaoli sacked before Nigeria match

Argentina players want Sampaoli sacked before Nigeria match | Russia 2018 World Cup

Lionel Messi looks on dejected after Croatia's first goal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group D match between Argentina and Croatia at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on June 21, 2018 in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.
Source: Jan Kruger/Getty Images Europe

Argentina football is in disarray, the reaction to their poor performances at the World Cup was expected.

Losing the way they did against Croatia was shocking, one of the best-attacking squads, but lacking any sort of inspiration.

Croatia deserve some accolades for their heroic performance on Thursday night, inflicting a 3-0 defeat to an Argentina team led by the great Lionel Messi. Modric and Rakitic were fantastic, dominating the sorry Argentine midfield.

The Europeans have qualified for the next round while Argentina would hope for the best as they rely on Nigeria vs Iceland result to favour them.

During his post-match press conference, Jorge Sampaoli was pretty honest in his analysis of the defeat.

Sampaoli said: “I am the one who needs to make the final decision on these things but the key to our defeat relates to my responsibility. I am the coach and I had to devise a plan for this match. Had I set things up differently, it might have turned out much better. I don’t think it’s realistic to put the burden on Caballero. I probably didn’t understand the match as I should have.”

The Argentina coach added: “after they scored, we kind of lost our way and we were emotionally broken. We didn’t have any footballing arguments to change the course of events. In the World Cup, you need to take risks and we simply weren’t successful. Their second goal was almost a finishing touch. Then we were in one of those situations where our morale doesn’t allow us to move forward. We couldn’t find a way out.”

There are rumours that Sampaoli will be sacked before their final group game.

According to reports in Argentina, the players held a meeting after the Croatia defeat and asked that Sampaolishould not be in charge of the game against Nigeria next Tuesday.

Rumors in Argentina saying now that the players have asked Jorge Sampaoli to not coach the final game against Nigeria on Tuesday and he accepted meaning that Jorge Burruchaga will be the manager. Only rumors mind you but certainly a mutiny I haven’t seen since France 2010.

— Roberto Rojas (@RobertoRojas97) June 22, 2018

Messi and his teammates want Jorge Burruchaga to take over the team ahead of the Nigeria match.

If Jorge Sampaoli gets the boot, it would cost the Argentina FA $20m to sack him, which could make it hard for the Argentina FA to carry out the players' decision.

There are also rumours that at least seven Argentina senior players will retire after the Nigeria match, should Argentina get eliminated.

The players include Marcos Rojo, Ever Banega, Sergio Aguero, Angel Di Maria, Javier Mascherano, Gonzalo Higuain and Leo Messi.

Breaking news coming out that the Argentina players want Jorge Sampaoli out and Jorge Burruchaga to manage the final World Cup game against Nigeria.

— Roy Nemer (@RoyNemer) June 22, 2018

Also this via @HernanSCastillo that Sampaoli will coach the team on Tuesday vs. Nigeria but that Rojo, Banega, Aguero, Di Maria, Mascherano and possibly Higuain and Messi will retire after the FIFA World Cup.

— Roy Nemer (@RoyNemer) June 22, 2018