Liverpool star Alexis Mac Allister has broken his silence on the shock cancellation of Argentina’s Finalissima showdown with Spain in Qatar.
While the rest of the footballing world was gearing up for a middle-eastern extravaganza, Alexis Mac Allister is instead facing a somewhat more modest international break.
After weeks of logistical wrangling, political uncertainty in the Gulf, and a failed attempt by UEFA and CONMEBOL to find a neutral European venue, the bumper showdown has been consigned to the scrapheap.
Several Liverpool players now find themselves out on international duty with their respective nations, with the break arguably coming at a good time in the Reds’ inconsistent Premier League campaign.
Arne Slot‘s men have now lost ten Premier League games this season, as they continue to stumble in their hopes of reaching the top four.
Thankfully, there is a current break from this doom and gloom, with the likes of Hugo Ekitike and Ibrahima Konate jetting off to play for France.
Moreover, both Milos Kerkez and Dominik Szoboszlai are set to feature for Hungary, while the quartet of Virgil Van Dijk, Jeremie Frimpong, Ryan Gravenberch, and Cody Gakpo will all line up for the Netherlands.
Unfortunately for Alexis Mac Allister, he won’t be handed another cap for Argentina against Spain, as the hotly anticipated Finalissima showdown – which sees the champions of Europe and the champions of South America face off in one huge one-off match – has been cancelled, due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Set to take place on the 26th of March in Doha, it has now been called off at the final hour, with Argentina’s international break further disrupted, as they face another cancelled match against Qatar in a friendly contest.
Instead of a marquee battle against Lamine Yamal and Co at the Lusail Stadium, Mac Allister and his world champion teammates have hurriedly arranged friendlies against Mauritania and Zambia.
It’s a far cry from the “elite” test many expected, but for those back on Merseyside, the reduced intensity of the world champions’ revised schedule might be viewed as a rare moment of fortune.
There were suggestions that the match could be played in Madrid or that a two-leg format could be enforced, with ties played in Spain and Argentina, but these plans have frustratingly fallen to the wayside.
The Liverpool number 10 couldn’t hide his disappointment when speaking on the late cancellation.
Mac Allister’s comments about cancellation
When speaking to Argentine outlet TYC Sports, the 42-time Argentina international opened up about his thoughts on the Spain game not going ahead.
He said: “It’s a shame (not to play the Finalissima) because it was a nice match. It didn’t happen and now we have to focus on the friendlies.
Matches are won on the pitch. We are players and we want to play, that’s the most important thing. I would like to play it later.”
With a defining Premier League run-in and a Champions League quarter-final against PSG looming, Slot will simply be praying his number 10 returns from Buenos Aires healthy and fit for the upcoming fixtures ahead for the Reds.
It remains to be seen when this Finalissima showdown will be rescheduled, with no new date set in stone, with the 27-year-old surely now just focused on the friendly matches Lionel Scaloni’s men still have in place.
He could well pick up another Argentina goal, to add to his six already put away for his nation, before returning to Anfield ready to turn around Liverpool’s fortunes.
