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•As Coach Sampaoli begs Barca star, Aguero
Diego Maradona has demanded access to Argentina’s training ground in a bid to heal the rifts that have torn apart Jorge Sampaoli’s squad ahead of the Albiceleste ‘make or break’ clash with Eagles.
The two-time World Cup winners are on the brink of going out of the tournament after a draw with Iceland was followed by a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Croatia.
And beleaguered boss Sampaoli has been at war with a number of his top players, including Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero.
Now Maradona – the man who led Argentina to their 1986 triumph in Mexico – wants permission to speak to the squad in a bid to lift their morale ahead of their decisive third group game against Nigeria.
Maradona said: “I played with my life whenever I got the Argentine shirt. “Legends like Simeone, Redondo, Ruggeri, Canniggia, Filol, Luque and Gallego did exactly the same.
“I want to be able to talk to the players and make them understand what it means to wear the national shirt.” In another development, Sampaoli called a clear-the-air meeting with his squad after Nigeria’s 2-0 victory over Iceland on Friday left Argentina needing to beat the Africans in St Petersburg on Tuesday.
Argentine FA president Claudio Tapia addressed the players before Sampaoli, skipper Lionel Messi and vice-captain Javier Mascherano made an emotional plea for the squad to resolve their differences.
Aguero spoke out against Sampaoli following the defeat against Croatia when he suggested the Argentine coach didn’t know what he was doing.
