Rodolfo Arruabarrena, coach of the United Arab Emirates national team, gave statements prior to the friendly match against Argentina, on the eve of the start of the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Next Wednesday, November 16, the Argentina national team will play a final exhibition match as part of their preparation for the World Cup and the United Arab Emirates coach surprised with his confessions after revealing the special request he made to his players.
"I told my players: 'Be careful not to touch Messi', because then I can't enter Argentina", stressed 'Vasco' Arruabarrena in an interview with Infobae.
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"My two sons tell me 'Don't touch him' (Messi). They call me, they are obsessed. I don't pay much attention to them, luckily I am far away and it is their mother who takes care of them," added the Argentine coach.
Finally, regarding the friendly match against Lionel Scaloni's team, Arruabarrena stated: "For us, it is a nice challenge, especially for the young players, to compete with these internationally renowned players. Although no one likes to lose, what interests us is to be able to be at their level and be competitive. We'll see if we achieve it or not."