Tue Sep 09 23:20:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing Lionel Scaloni’s press conference after Argentina’s loss in Quito:
**Otamendi’s Red Card Casts Shadow Over Argentina’s World Cup 2026 Debut**
**Quito, Ecuador** – Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni expressed his disappointment and concern following Argentina’s defeat in Quito, Ecuador, singling out the costly red card received by veteran defender Nicolás Otamendi. The expulsion means Otamendi will miss Argentina’s opening match in the 2026 World Cup, a blow Scaloni openly lamented in the post-match press conference.
“It’s a shame about Ota,” Scaloni said. “We knew the risk of playing this match with the expulsion looming, which carried the consequence of not playing the first World Cup match. There’s also the feeling that you can’t commit fully, you play with a strange hesitation. It bothers me for Ota, honestly.”
Scaloni acknowledged the difficulty of the match, especially after being reduced to ten men. “When the opponent plays, there are times when you have to suffer. Especially when we were left with 10. The match was complicated.”
Looking ahead, Argentina is scheduled to play two friendly matches in October as part of their preparation for upcoming competitions. They will face Venezuela on October 10th in Miami and Puerto Rico on October 13th in Chicago. These friendlies will provide Scaloni with an opportunity to experiment with his squad and find a suitable replacement for Otamendi in the crucial opening World Cup fixture.
First Piper 