Scaloni: "We must banish the idea that Argentina does not know how to win or lose"

MADRID, 12 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Argentina coach, Lionel Scaloni, has assured that his team knows how to "win and lose" and that the idea that this is not the case must be "banished", in addition to ensuring that it will be "a pleasure" to face Luka Modric and Croatia this Tuesday in the semifinals of the World Cup in Qatar.

"The game was played as it had to be played, on both sides. This is football. There are times when you have to defend and others when you have to attack. It can get difficult like the other day, with discussions. We know how to lose and we know how to win," he declared at a press conference.

In this sense, he recalled other tense meetings. "We lost against Arabia and we went quietly to the hotel; we won in the Maracana and the most beautiful image was given with Neymar. That idea must be banished because we are not like that. Leo was always like that, it is not our merit. He is a winner and He has pride and a desire to continue playing ball that he envy", he said.

In another order of things, he confirmed that both Rodrigo de Paul and Ángel di María will be "available" for the duel. "We will see how many minutes each one can play, but they are all fit. There is no better rest than victory, there is no better way than to go to the semifinals, we are fine, we are whole," he said.

Lastly, Scaloni praised the Croatian midfielder Luka Modric. "It is a pleasure that Modric is on the pitch and watching him play, he is an example for many, not only because of his quality, but because of his behavior and what he transmits. You have to enjoy it, as it already happened with Lewandowski," he said.

"Whoever loves football wants those players on the field. The goal is to go game by game, it was never to play all seven games. Now that we are here, we are going to play all seven games and that's fine, but we have to go match by match, and more taking into account what this World Cup was", he concluded.