Argentina Copa America 2016 Predicted Lineup: Probable Starting 11 for the Argentine team

Defenders

Argentina doesn’t have the best bunch of defenders in the tournament. It will be upon the defensive line to keep the opponents at bay as the attackers are all but certain to give their team the edge over their rivals. Martino will have a tough time selecting the central defensive pair as Rosario Central center back Javier Pinola misses out after breaking his leg in a Copa Libertadores match earlier this year.

Manchester City’s Nicolas Otamendi will lead the backline with Everton’s Ramiro Funes Mori the best option to partner him. Martino will refrain from playing Javier Mascherano as a defender because he is best suited for the holding midfield role as this Argentine back four will need a lot of guarding.

Manchester United’s Marcos Rojo will start at the left-back position. The 27-year-old played 27 matches for his club this season but failed to impress. However, for La Albiceleste, he is the best option for the LB slot. Martino, as he has done in the recent World Cup qualifier and friendly matches, will start River Plate’s Gabriel Mercado on the right side of the defense. The 29-year-old scored a goal as well, against Bolivia in a WC qualifier match in March.

About the author

Sankalp is a veteran European and international football writer at Sportskeeda. He has a total experience of 8 years, having previously worked for some top companies such as Wisden India and Fox Sports Asia. An engineer by qualification, Sankalp places a very high emphasis on accuracy by leaving no stone unturned in his research, and prides himself on showcasing the human aspect of the sporting world.

Sankalp has had the privilege of interviewing senior Indian cricketers such as Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and Chris Woakes in his experience so far. He has also covered various Indian and international matches, such as the 2019 ICC ODI World Cup when working for FOX.

Sankalp started following football after watching the 2002 FIFA World Cup with his family. He is a die-hard Manchester United supporter, who started following the club due to David Beckham. His favorite manager is Sir Alex Ferguson and favorite player is Lionel Messi, both for setting unattainable benchmarks. He considers Barcelona’s incredible 6-1 second leg comeback win in the 2016-17 UCL against Paris Saint-Germain as one of the most iconic matches ever.

Along with European football, Sankalp also follows the Indian Super League. When not writing, Sankalp enjoys traveling and watching sports.

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Edited by Staff Editor