Argentina don cruise to 7-0 win over Burkina Faso on Saturday, October 3, but di result dey overshadowed by questions about organisation of di friendly and di condition of di African side wey arrive Buenos Aires.
Scaloni side produce dominant display for Estadio Monumental. Dem score five times for first half, then add two more after break.
Lautaro Martínez, Gianluca Prestianni, Nicolás Paz, Julián Álvarez, Franco Mastantuono and Giuliano Simeone score for Argentina. Burkina Faso defender Moumouni Diallo score own goal.
Di match happen without Lionel Messi. Dem include Messi for Argentina squad for di next friendly against Benin on October 6, wey set to serve as im farewell international appearance.
But di victory come after unusual build-up involving di Burkina Faso delegation. Burkina Faso remain for Casablanca, Morocco, after dia AFCON qualifying match against Central African Republic because problem with dia planned flight to Argentina. Di situation become uncertain enough dat di friendly bin dey doubt.
With less than 48 hours to di friendly for Buenos Aires, Burkina Faso selection never leave Morocco where dem play dia second qualifying match for CAN against Central African Republic. Na organisation problems, especially flight to Argentina, cause am.
After hard 0-1 win over Fauves on Monday, di Etalons return to dia hotel for Casablanca with mind on di prestigious friendly against Albiceleste wey dem plan for weekend. Dem suppose leave calmly dat week for Buenos Aires, but di selection never take off. Two times di players pack bags, but dem must turn back because of flight problem.
Argentina federation want pay as little as possible. Like against Mauritania in March, AFA mandate one company, Eurodata Sport Ltd, wey Jairo Pachon, a FIFA match agent, dey manage, to handle friendlies against African teams.
If AFA dey take care of accommodation, expenses and travel for di opposing team, e no dey give any participation bonus or even part of di revenue wey di match generate.
One official of a federation wey Albiceleste contact for friendly talk say, ‘Na why dem dey target average or not wealthy African selections wey go accept di conditions because na Argentina dey face dem.’
Because AFA want maximize profit, e dey use di mandated company reduce costs, mainly for travel. Di conditions wey dem propose to Mauritania na commercial flight, di cheapest possible. But di Mourabitounes refuse because of di number of travel hours and dem take private flight by demself. AFA come reimburse di Mauritanian federation afta di fact for di price of commercial flight tickets, wey bin lower dan di charter dem hire.
Refusal to train: Di Etalons no happy with organisational failures, wey pass flight conditions, and lack of planning even though dem sign contract for di match three weeks before. So dem refuse to train even though dia coach, Amir Abdou, want am.
Di growing tension also dey felt for Argentina, where di federation no want any hiccup because of di money dem promise. Na di real goal of dis matches: AFA dey pocket everything, while African federations from Mauritania to Burkina Faso, including Benin wey must play for Buenos Aires on October 6 for Messi last match, collect nothing.
According to Romain Molina, di players face repeated problems with travel arrangements and some refuse to make di trip because of organisational and financial issues. Di situation eventually lead to changes for Burkina Faso squad, with several senior players refusing to travel and younger players dem bring in. Burkina field 13 uncapped players according to reports.
Di delegation eventually arrive Buenos Aires only around five hours before kick-off, after almost 12-hour flight. Romain Molina also question how dem arrange di match and allege say financial and organisational disputes contribute to di problems.
Molina also allege say participating African federations no dey receive share of di revenue wey di matches generate, while di Argentine side cover travel, accommodation and other basic expenses.
Other reports indicate say di original charter flight wey dem schedule for Burkina Faso develop technical fault. Dat force di organisers to arrange another aircraft, and some Burkina Faso players later choose not to travel because of accumulated fatigue.
To avoid forfeit, Burkina Faso send U23 to compensate for di departures of plenty A-team players. Di Etalons suppose land around 13:15 for Buenos Aires after almost 12 hours of flight and dem go play at 19h local time. Legs fit heavy.
