We have no pity for Messi–Rohr

Super Eagles trainer Gernot Rohr has said here that Tuesday’s FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 Group D match is not about playing against Argentina’s captain and five-time World Player of the Year, Lionel Messi.

Messi is yet to come alive at this tournament and with speculations that the game at the 67,000- capacity Zenit Arena in Krestovsky Ostrov (Krestovsky Island) could well be his farewell from international duty should the La Albiceleste fail to progress.

“For me and several players in my team, Lionel Messi is a player we all love so much but the question for us is to win our match and qualify (for the second round) ,” Rohr who will be 65 on Thursday (June 28) said at the Presser ahead of the fifth World Cup clash between Nigeria and Argentina. “We are not here to watch him play; we cannot make any gift for him even if we love him so well; so there is no pity for us for Messi.”

Speaking in the same vein, defender Bryan Idowu who made a scoring debut in the 4-2 defeat of Argentina
in an international friendly in Krasnodar last November said the Super Eagles would not be cowed with
the presence of Messi.

“ I have not thought that this could be the last game for Messi,” stated 26-year-old Idowu. “ Our
objective is to win our match and qualify for the next round and if possible we would be ready to
retire Messi.”

In a related development, Rohr said he was expecting Musa to be at his scoring best against Argentina
on Tuesday after he grabbed the brace in the 2-0 defeat of Iceland last Friday.

“We were very happy with the goals of Musa because it was scored with wonderful tactics and I’m really
happy that he has come back strongly to the team,” the self-styled Franco German coach said. “He had to
come back to Russia when he wasn’t play at Leicester and has worked very hard; I think he has regained
his confidence now and deserves his place in the team.”