Atlanta [Georgia], July 15: Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister brushed aside the historical weight of Wednesday's World Cup semifinal against England, saying his team is treating it as nothing more than a football match.
Mac Allister, who has become a key figure in Argentina's midfield, said the players are not letting the teams' storied rivalry affect their preparations.
"We take it as a football match, as a World Cup semifinal; we understand everything behind it and all the history, that's something we can't change," he said.
"What we can do is to defend the jersey and our country in the best way possible on the field, that's what we've always done and what we want to do again. Hopefully it turns out the best way possible," he added.
England holds the better head-to-head World Cup record between the teams, with three wins from their five previous encounters.
But Argentina's two victories are arguably the best remembered. One was in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals, a game etched into World Cup folklore by Diego Maradona's two goals, and the other a round-of-16 clash in 1998 which Argentina won on penalties after a David Beckham red card.
Mac Allister scored his first goal in this tournament in Argentina's quarterfinal victory over Switzerland. He has mostly played in a more withdrawn central midfield position at this World Cup than his usual box-to-box role at Liverpool.
The 27-year-old said he was grateful for the regular feedback provided by Lionel Scaloni, saying the manager's openness had benefited the team.
"He [Scaloni] is like that with everyone, especially when we watch the post-match videos, we try to exchange a lot of opinions," the former Boca Juniors player said.
"He's a good listener and we're grateful for that. We understand it's because of his experience - he's Argentine, he went through the national team, he knows what it means, and in the end we all want what's best for the team. On our part, we're grateful, because sometimes it's complicated to see," he said.
Source: Qatar Tribune
