Buenos Aires: Carlos Tevez will line up alongside Lionel Messi in Argentina`s attack when the hosts open the Copa America against Bolivia in La Plata on Friday (0045 GMT Saturday), coach Sergio Batista said.
He said the decision was part of the tactics he had devised for Messi to have a brilliant tournament and inspire Argentina to clinch the South American title they last won in 1993.
Less than a month ago, Tevez appeared out of the running for a place in Argentina`s squad but he and Batista cleared the air over issues that had kept the striker out of the reckoning and he has impressed the coach in training.
"Carlos will play because he can link much more with Lionel and the idea is not to have players of such speed as we would have if (Angel) Di Maria and (Ezequiel) Lavezzi played (either side of Messi) ... With Carlos we have more play," he told reporters on Thursday.
Batista, who has dropped Di Maria to the bench to make way for Tevez, denied he had bowed to popular demand and media pressure to include the Manchester City captain."I don`t go by popular clamour. If I say Tevez must play it`s because that`s best for the national team. He has earned his place on his own," Batista said.
Batista said he had alternative tactics if Messi were suffocated by Bolivian marking.
"We discussed Messi getting man-to-man marking and we have a plan B, someone (else) who will take control of the team and the ball," he said."Lionel must enjoy what he`s doing, he`s a great player, the world`s best, and we`ll take maximum advantage of that. We built a team for him and let`s hope it`s his Copa America."
Argentina team (4-3-3):
Sergio Romero; Javier Zanetti, Nicolas Burdisso, Gabriel Milito, Marcos Rojo; Ever Banega, Javier Mascherano, Esteban Cambiasso; Ezequiel Lavezzi, Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez.
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.