Sampaoli's statements before Argentina's match against France in the second round – World Cup Russia 2018

Argentine coach Jorge Sampaoli promised on Friday that his team will play in the round of 16 2018 World Cup finals against France "with the knife in their hands" and said they dream of a "Albiceste" with " A lot of pbadion and a lot of football. "" We have confidence in the ability we have and tomorrow Argentina has a great strength of mind that allows it to face the match with a lot of determination, a determined team, with a lot of heart, to face this possibility "said Sampaoli at the Kazan Arena, on the eve of the duel against the" Blues ".

"I have great confidence in the ability of my players to control the ability of time and space. " If we do, we will complicate the approach of France. With the knife between his teeth, with a lot of conviction "he promised.

The coach, who did not want to give clues about the eleven starts of his team tomorrow, warned against the potential of France. speed of transitions "by the team of Didier Deschamps." The great strength of this team is the speed of transitions: it is very solid defense, where it recovers and it leaves very quickly, there you can see all the work time of his coach . Many goals of three or four keys with four or five players to come. Beyond their individualities, they have a collective game that comes very long with their coach, "said Sampaoli.

The Santa Fe emphasized the importance of Argentina" taking the reins of the game and control the game "and said that he dreams of a selection" with a lot of football and pbadion. "

" I need the reins of the match to take us there. We have to find players on the field that allow us to control the game. The Griezmann -Giroud company makes it a dangerous team, I dream to see Argentina with a lot of pbadion and a lot of football. If we do not control the game itself, which is most important, it will end up being a physical match that will not suit us, "he warned.

"We have to bet," he continued, "for a team that is installed in a rival field of the game and that dominates the opposition with the ball". In addition, Sampaoli again congratulated Lionel Messi, "a bluff" for the Argentinian team, and said that "sometimes it is difficult to be at the level of a different player like Leo."

Messi " is very clear to see football and brings us closer to the realities that allow us to see things that only a genius can see ," he explained. "Many times, it's hard to be at the level of a different player like Leo, which is a bluff, an indication for everyone," he said. "You have to know how to play for all your abilities and be at your level, they understand it by affinity and by the pbadage of time and others that will take more time," said the technician, who said that 39; he had "a plan to strengthen" the star tomorrow

"Beyond France having a plan to neutralize Leo, we have another to improve it. L & # Argentina has the best player in the world, but also others to France in other nuances "he continued.

"What I see in Leo and in this group of players, is that the feeling of the shirt is so strong, beyond the pressure, which makes it very dangerous for anyone, the # Argentina will see an extremely determined team that will cost many accept defeat, "said Sampaoli.

Asked about the video of the last match against Nigeria in which he is expected to ask Messi's he had to bring Sergio Aguero on the ground, the Argentine strategist replied that he was simply communicating with "La Pulga" I remember the moment, all I talk to my players is very hermetic and personal , we train different alternatives in a decisive game and I'm just communicating (to Messi) that we were going to take a plan already trained, with more offensive players and who was going to leave a little to the team, "explained Sampaoli