"He's going to be a starter, but...": Scaloni gave the best news for the entire country and expressed his only doubt against Colombia.

The Argentine national team has already secured first place in the South American Qualifiers , but this Tuesday's match against Colombia at the Monumental stadium is not without its twists and turns. Before the match, Lionel Scaloni held a press conference where he cleared up one major mystery and opened another: Lionel Messi will start, although it's still undetermined who will occupy the left-back spot.

The Argentine captain will return to the starting lineup after being a substitute against Chile , in which he came on in the second half. " Leo will start, we have no doubt, and we hope the fans enjoy him and the team ," the coach stated, leaving no room for speculation. The decision is a relief for the fans, who will be able to see their idol again from the kickoff.

Not everything is set in the coach's mind. The suspension of Nicolás Tagliafico , who reached his yellow card limit, left a gap in the defense that still has no filler. Scaloni mentioned Valentín Barco and Facundo Medina as the main candidates, although he also considered the option of Nicolás González . " We're going to go for one of the other two ," he said, suggesting a choice between Barco and Medina.

“ It's always a setback not having everyone, and it's not a good idea to decide on the team beforehand when you're not sure, ” he explained, implying that the decision will be made hours before the match. This detail reflects the coaching staff's caution in a scenario with no room for error, even if the result doesn't change the standings.

Beyond confirming Messi, the coach highlighted the team's collective growth. In his words, the Albiceleste has achieved a level of performance that doesn't suffer even when their star player isn't on the field. "The team is in a position today where it can play the same way whether Leo is there or not ," he stated, clearly endorsing the squad, which has shown solidity across all lines.

The tactical evolution of the national team allows Scaloni to experiment with variations without changing the core of the game. This gives him an advantage in considering rotations or specific substitutions without affecting overall performance, something unthinkable a few years ago.

The other focus of attention is on the fitness of some key players who could return. Nicolás Otamendi has already served his suspension and is fighting to return to central defense, in direct competition with Leonardo Balerdi . Leandro Paredes and Enzo Fernández are also available, having cleared their yellow cards and ready to be considered.

Scaloni made no secret of the fact that several players aren't "100 percent," which means the finalization of the starting lineup will take longer. The match against Colombia will also serve as a gauge of the returning players' fitness, ahead of what's to come.

Although the final lineup will be confirmed at the last minute, the Argentine national team could take the field with: Emiliano Martínez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Nicolás Otamendi, Valentín Barco or Facundo Medina; Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández, Exequiel Palacios or Leandro Paredes; Thiago Almada; Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez . A top-tier team, with established players and young players looking to establish themselves.

Although there is nothing at stake numerically, the duel at the Monumental will be a new opportunity for Scaloni's team to continue polishing details towards the big objective that everyone has in mind: defending their Copa América title.