Scaloni ‘couldn’t force’ Retegui to pick Argentina over Italy | OneFootball

Argentina coach Lionel says he could ‘not force’ Mateo Retegui to pick Argentina over Italy, but is happy that Alejandro Garnacho and Nico Paz chose the Albiceleste over Spain.

Retegui is the leading scorer in Serie A this season with 20 goals in 22 appearances and recently contributed to Atalanta’s 5-0 win over Hellas Verona by scoring four goals.

Retegui made his senior Italy debut in 2023, picking La Nazionale over his native country, Argentina.

“We can’t force anyone, nor can we stop a player from making his own choice, and Mateo has chosen Italy,” Scaloni told Gazzetta.

“This happens often now. Nico Paz and Alejandro Garnacho chose Argentina over Spain, and we are happy about that. But again, we cannot interfere in a person’s decisions. After all, he is a footballer, but the person comes before the athlete.”

During the same interview, Scaloni discussed other Argentinean stars playing in Serie A, including Lautaro Martinez, Paulo Dybala and Nico Gonzalez.

Another Scaloni compatriot shining in Serie A is Lazio’s Taty Castellanos.

“He has joined an important, strong team. Taty doesn’t just score goals; he helps the team play, moves brilliantly, and is doing very well,” said Scaloni.

“The more he plays, the better he gets. They’ve entrusted him with a key role, and for a striker, that’s crucial. Hopefully, he keeps going like this.”

A former Lazio defender, Scaloni also shared his thoughts on the Serie A title race involving Inter and Napoli.

“It will be open until the end. A lot will depend on Inter’s Champions League campaign. Inzaghi’s team has the potential to go far in Europe, and obviously, the physical toll will have an impact,” he noted.

“That’s where Napoli, who are having a great season under Conte, might have a slight advantage. It will be crucial to see whether Inter can hold up well on both fronts.”