Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team will no longer make statements to the press, for having been the target of "very serious allegations" against Ezequiel Lavezzi, such as consuming marijuana, among other "disrespectful acts" towards the team, announced the captain, Lionel Messi, after defeating Colombia 3-0.
"We have made the decision not to speak to the press anymore. Obviously, you know why. There were many accusations, many acts of disrespect. The accusations made against 'Pocho' (Lavezzi, for smoking marijuana) are very serious," said Messi, in a press conference surrounded by the entire squad of 26 players, in the city of San Juan, Argentina.
#Eliminatorias The announcement of the Argentina national team, in the words of their captain, Lionel #Messipic.twitter.com/rDSksCfzeE
Lavezzi, from China's Hebei Fortune, was accused by a journalist from an Argentine radio station on his Twitter account of smoking "a joint" during the concentration.
Lavezzi announced on the same network that he will take "legal action against Gabriel Anello for his false statements against me and the serious damages they have caused to my family and my work."
Messi, scorer of one goal and two assists in a brilliant performance, said that the players know that "many of you (journalists) are not in that game of disrespecting us, because you can lose, you can win, you can play well, play poorly, but this is getting into our personal lives."
"If we don't stop it now, we won't stop it anymore," said the striker.
After the 3-0 defeat to Brazil in the South American qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, there was a flurry of criticism, but some were in a rude and insulting tone by some media outlets that frequently use that style.
Argentina had been eliminated from all qualification spots, but this Tuesday, in matchday 12, with the three points against Colombia, they returned to the playoff zone with the winner of the Oceania phase.
"This is not the first accusation. We never said anything. But (Lavezzi's) goes beyond everything. Many people believe and buy everything that is said. We know that there are many of you who are not in that game of disrespecting us. But we prefer to cut this off, we regret it a lot," said the striker.
Some sectors of the Argentine press launched very strong attacks and even called for "everyone to leave" the national team after the humiliation against Brazil. The TyC Sports channel revealed that some players were insulted on the street in Buenos Aires before traveling to San Juan.
A precedent for this case was the Argentine national team that participated in the 1998 World Cup when there were criticisms and accusations about personal attitudes of the players. The response was to not make any more statements to the press, for which the entire squad presented themselves in a room at the concentration center in the town of L'Etrat, without saying a word or making fun of the journalists.
Argentina was eliminated after losing 2-1 to the Netherlands in the quarterfinals.