Pekerman selects 16 for Madrid meeting (6 May 2006 19:38 GMT)
Argentina coach Jose Pekerman has revealed the names of 16 players he will be meeting next Monday and Tuesday in Madrid. The list, containing some notable omissions, offers the first concrete sign of what Pekerman's final squad for the World Cup will look like.
According to a statement from the Argentine Football Association (AFA), the respective players' clubs had no objections to the meeting, which will not involve any physical work-outs or squad training. "The coach and his staff will take full advantage of the meeting to show videos, chat individually and collectively to the players, refresh concepts and assess the physical and medical well-being of those present," the AFA said.
Some sections of the country's media expressed surprise at the players not on the list, among them Javier Zanetti, Pablo Aimar and Martin Demichelis. However, several of these are involved in key end-of-season games with their clubs, and their absence does not rule out the possibility of inclusion in the final 23-man squad to be named on or before 15 May.
The list announced by Pekerman is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Roberto Abbondanzieri (Boca Juniors), Leonardo Franco (Atletico Madid)
Defenders: Nicolas Burdisso (Inter Milan), Gabriel Milito (Real Saragossa), Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo La Coruna), Leandro Cufre (AS Roma), Roberto Ayala (Valencia), Gabriel Heinze (Manchester United)
Midfielders: Maximiliano Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid), Esteban Cambiasso (Inter Milan), Juan Pablo Sorin and Juan Roman Riquelme (both Villarreal), Luis Gonzalez (Porto), Lionel Scaloni (West Ham United)
Forwards: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Hernan Crespo (Chelsea)
source : FIFA