How Argentina could line up vs Ecuador | Copa America 2021 quarterfinal

Right-back- Nahuel Molina (Udinese)

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Recently linked with a move to Inter Milan, Nahuel Molina has been a consistent presence for Argentina at the 2021 Copa America.

Molina is competing with River Plate's Gonzalo Montiel for the right-back spot. The 23-year old, who joined Udinese from Boca Juniors in 2020, is highly-rated by Argentina boss Scaloni, who has not shied away from giving the youngster chances at the prestigious tournament.

The right-back was not a first-team regular at Udinese last season, making 18 league starts. Capable of operating as a right wing-back as well, Udinese could lose another Argentine star to an Italian club this summer, with Atalanta having signed Juan Musso from them.

Centre-back- German Pezzella (Fiorentina)

There are doubts over the availability of Atalanta's Cristian Romero, with the 23-year old nursing an injury. German Pezzella is likely to take his place in the first XI for Argentina.

Pezzella has quietly been a key figure at Fiorentina since his arrival from Real Betis in 2017. The 30-year old has made more than 30 league appearances in each of his four seasons in Italy, and is also the captain of La Viola.

Romero will be a big loss if he does miss out, but Pezzella is a good replacement. He has made two starts and one substitute appearance in the Copa America 2021 so far.

Centre-back- Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica)

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Nicolas Otamendi might not be everyone's cup of tea, but the Benfica defender has been a first-choice centre-back for Argentina for some time now.

A highly-aggressive centre-back, Otamendi's unorthodox style of defending can be a problem at times. However, the 33-year old was part of a hugely successful Manchester City side under the management of Pep Guardiola and made 210 appearances in all competitions before joining Benfica last summer.

Otamendi is one of the more experienced members in the Argentina squad, with 77 caps for the senior side. Barring any unfortunate late injury, it is hard to imagine Otamendi not starting against Ecuador.

Left-back- Nicolas Tagliafico (Ajax)

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Transfer rumor mill favorite Nicolas Tagliafico will battle Sevilla's Marcos Acuna for the left-back spot against Ecuador.

It would be fair to say that Tagliafico did not enjoy the best of seasons with Ajax last time around, and that form has carried over to the Argentina national team. The 28-year old has struggled so far at Copa America 2021, and it will be interesting to see if Scaloni decides to give Acuna a chance against Ecuador.

Last summer, Tagliafico was linked with Chelsea and it has been reported that the left-back wants to leave Ajax this transfer window. Inter Milan and Barcelona are said to be monitoring the Argentina international.

Other options: Lucas Martinez Quarta (Fiorentina), Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Marcos Acuna (Sevilla), Cristian Romero (Atalanta), Lisandro Martinez (Ajax)

Also Read: 5 defenders who have scored the most goals in the 21st century

About the author

Abhinav is a journalist who covers football at Sportskeeda. An avid football fan and long-suffering supporter of Manchester United, he currently writes previews, covering football leagues across the world. Armed with a good understanding of SEO and journalism guidelines, Abhinav possesses a strong knowledge of football and footballers. He loves a good transfer rumor and loves discussing the sport with his friends and family.

He's also pursuing a Master's Degree in International Relations.

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Edited by Ashwin