Sabella: We´ll do talking on the pitch

Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella played down the favourites’ tag ahead of their FIFA World Cup opener against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Sunday.

Sabella’s men are tipped to advance from Group F and deep into the tournament in Brazil, with many believing they can add to their two previous World Cup triumphs.

Argentina won football’s showpiece event in 1978 and 1986, but have failed to make it past the quarter-finals since losing to West Germany in the 1990 decider.

But Sabella knows that to live up to expectations, Argentina will need an in-form Lionel Messi starting against World Cup debutants Bosnia-Herzegovina in Rio.

“I don’t like the word favourite, so we will leave it for others to talk about that,” Sabella told reporters.

“Regarding Messi, the labour of any coach who trains him obviously is to make things easier for him, so he can feel relaxed to show his condition is at a 100 per cent.”

There are no injury concerns for Sabella’s side bar Rodrigo Palacio, Fernando Gago and Gonzalo Higuain, with the latter overcoming an ankle injury.

“Except for Rodrigo Palacio, all the players are available to play, so we will evaluate until the very last moment which ones are in better shape to play ninety minutes,” he said.

“Fernando has been working hard to recovery from his injury and he is working very well.

“Pipa (Higuain) had an inconvenience because he suffered pain on his ankle again, so it took him a bit more time to be at the same point as the rest of his team-mates, but he is already working well.”