Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez and Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez are both vying to start for Argentina against Paraguay tonight.
This according to Argentine broadcaster Ole, via FCInterNews, who report that one of the pair will start the 2024 FIFA World Cup qualifying clash.
The international break is now underway. And national teams across different confederations are preparing to return to action in various qualifying campaigns.
For Argentine, it will be the time for 2024 World Cup qualifying matches in CONMEBOL.
The first of the Albiceleste’s matches will be against Paraguay. They will play the match at home tonight.
And Albiceleste coach Lionel Scaloni is starting to have firm ideas about who will start for the reigning world champions in the fixture.
Lautaro Martinez & Julian Alvarez Both Vying To Start Vs Paraguay
Inter striker Lautaro Martinez is certainly one of the first names on the team sheet for his club side.
The 26-year-old has become the Nerazzurri’s captain. He inherited the armband from Samir Handanovic during the summer.
And Martinez has already scored an eye-watering eleven goals for Inter at the start of the current season.
The Argentine has been the Nerazzurri’s top scorer in each of the past two seasons as well.
However, for Argentina Martinez is not necessarily an automatic starter.
Former River Plate striker Alvarez has put the Nerazzurri captain’s place under threat.
Martinez had gone into the World Cup in Qatar last winter as the first-choice starter for Argentine.
However, some poor performance from the Inter striker gave the chance to Alvarez to take his place in the starting eleven.
And once he had the starting place at the tournament, the Manchester City man did not let go.
In the time since that tournament, both of Martinez and Alvarez have started some matches for Argentine. And according to Ole, either of the pair could do so against Bolivia tonight.