On October 1 at 8:00 AM CEST, Argentina will play a friendly against Bolivia. Before the match, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni attended a press conference. This was the second part of the press conference.

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【Scaloni - Negotiating a new contract? Both sides have good intentions, so we're discussing it now.】

【Scaloni - I want to restore Álvarez's confidence in the eyes of Madrid fans. That's good for everyone.】

【Scaloni - Romero sometimes gets very frustrated, and I need to help him improve that.】

First, I want to ask if you have confirmed Romero as the national team captain. Who is the vice-captain? Second, since the World Cup, there have been rumors that River Plate is interested in appointing you to replace Eduardo Coudet. Is that true? Has anyone approached you?

Basically, the captain... well, after Lionel Messi and Otamendi, Romero is the captain. The vice-captain is Emiliano Martínez, and the third captain is Lautaro Martínez. This order is for upcoming matches.

As for your second question, to be honest, rumors are just rumors. Nobody has spoken to me. As I've always said, I don't know if I need to repeat it, but I'm here until December 31 and I won't listen to any offers. Nobody has approached me. If we don't reach an agreement by December 31, I won't consider any other offers. If someone contacts me, I'll tell them I'm staying here until December 31. That's the truth, and I always act this way. Because if I say I'm here and haven't received any calls, that would be a lie. But I always say I'm happy here. The rumors about River Plate are not true. Nobody has contacted me, and I'm staying until December 31.

Hello Lionel, I have two questions. First, will you announce the new contract during this international break, or will you wait until the end of the year? Second, we haven't asked about Lautaro Martínez and Álvarez in a while. Now that Lionel Messi is not here, is it possible they'll play more together?

Well, I'm not sure this time. To be honest, looking at the schedule, I don't think it will happen now, but it depends a lot on reaching an agreement. As for the squad list, basically yes, they'll play together in this match at minimum. When both of them are on the pitch, it's a good opportunity to see what they can give us. We'll see in the future. Both are excellent players, and now we have the chance to see them play together and understand how it works. This is worth trying.

Hello Lionel, throughout the years you've managed the national team, Lionel Messi has continuously shown leadership qualities both on and off the pitch. Do you think it will be difficult to find similar leadership on the pitch without him?

Definitely. First of all, aside from his playing ability, I always say that his aura both on and off the pitch is something I've never seen in anyone else. So you can imagine how difficult it will be—the aura he gives is unique and irreplaceable. However, we do have players capable of showing leadership. We have an excellent group, and the most important thing is that in our view, they're all good people, and that's what matters most.

We don't need a big leader who intimidates the new squad members. We need positive, ethically upright people. I believe we have those kinds of people in our team, and everyone can fill the void that Lionel Messi left together. As I said, it will be difficult, but I'm confident the team always responds well, and this time we have people who can step up.

Hello Lionel, I'd like to ask about your thoughts on the group of young players brought back to the national team. Some of them may have missed out on opportunities, like Matías Soulé, who many expected to become a regular starter. Is there anyone who particularly stands out to you? Do you feel they bring new energy? Also, you left out key players like Lo Celso and De Paul this time. What do you think about this squad?

Good question. We know most of them well. Look at Matías, for example—we called him up before and have been monitoring him closely. We've known Santiago Castro since his youth team days. We've also been watching Román Vega for quite some time. This shows how hungry these young players are to compete. We'll give them chances, whether as starters or coming off the bench for a few minutes, but what's important is that they can contribute.

This week's training has been very intense and effective. We don't have many days to focus on preparation, and because the training this week is so demanding, the players got one extra day of rest. We're happy because we believe they can help us. We've spoken to them, and we'll give them the playing time they need.

Lionel, you mentioned earlier that you'll be here until December 31. Although there's no specific date yet, do you think you're getting closer to a final decision, or moving further away?

At the first meeting a few days ago, we didn't discuss specific details, but we did talk about both sides' intentions, so...

I understand. My other question is about Leandro Paredes—since the World Cup, have you spoken to him about his suspension and his future?

I haven't spoken to him. Domenico was referring to earlier statements. Leandro Paredes clearly belongs to the national team—how could he not? Especially considering his contributions to us, his history, and the special affection we have for him. But I haven't talked to him about it. To be honest, after the World Cup ended, I don't have much else to say to just one person.

The door is definitely open. Why? Because he's an excellent player and we love him deeply. Unfortunately, we can't call him up for these matches. Even if we set aside his suspension, that wouldn't be a good thing anyway, but unfortunately we can't use him now. When the time comes that he can play and if he maintains this level, he'll continue to be an excellent player, no doubt about it.

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