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Bauza deems Argentina isn't 'Messi-dependent' after victory over Chile

Marcos Brindicci / Reuters

Part of Edgardo Bauza's baptism as Argentina's manager involved persuading Lionel Messi to continue playing for La Albiceleste. El Paton clearly played his part, as the product of La Masia is still crossing the Atlantic Ocean to represent his country. But that doesn't mean the manager believes the national team is reliant on the player.

After Messi converted a penalty kick to score the lone goal in Argentina's 1-0 victory over Chile in 2018 World Cup qualifying, Bauza repeated his belief that La Albiceleste doesn't depend on the diminutive attacker for success.

Related: Messi's penalty powers Argentina to crucial win over Chile

"I do not think (Argentina) is Messi-dependent, I think that Lionel has played a good game today," Bauza told reporters after the game, according to ESPN FC. "They (the players) repeated the idea of the last one, where he took the ball, pressed quickly. And then, as long as we have time to work, we will improve. I am not worried about that. The game does not worry me because we are going to improve it."

For Messi, Argentina's win marked a small measure for revenge for the final of the Copa America Centenario, in which he sent a penalty kick into orbit as La Albiceleste was vanquished by Chile and extended its trophy drought. But all the familiar problems of trying to accommodate the Argentinian phenom were on display at El Monumental on Thursday. Bauza's side only tallied two shots on target despite deploying the player alongside Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain, and Angel Di Maria.

Argentina, playing in something along the lines of a 4-2-3-1, appeared to lack a plan in the first half, and, while there were the usual flashes of brilliance from Messi, La Albiceleste's attacking quartet failed to intimidate Chile. Lucas Biglia was the only player who was on the same page as the planet's top footballer, and questions were once again left unanswered.

From ESPN FC's Sam Kelly:

It's often said that Argentina don't get the most out of Messi because they don't give him the same passing options as he gets at Barcelona - where multiple forward runners and intelligent support from midfield mean he always has a teammate somewhere to find. But against Chile, not only did Argentina not give Messi enough options, they didn't even give their other players any.

Next up for Argentina, third in the table following the win versus Chile, is a date with Bolivia at the extreme altitude of Hernando Siles, where La Albiceleste fell 6-1 in 2009, when Diego Maradona was the national team's manager.

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