Messi's farewell under threat of chaos: Benin: "the Argentines love playing dirty"
Before the final whistle
As Argentina prepare to play Lionel Messi's farewell match in front of their own fans, the eagerly awaited clash has turned into something more than a celebration of the legendary star. Steve Mounié, captain and all-time top scorer of Benin's national team, has issued frank warnings about the tricks of the Argentina players and their attempts to get into their opponents' heads.
Speaking in remarks reported by the Spanish newspaper "AS", Mounié said his country view the match as an exceptional chance to show themselves to the world, despite his own absence through injury.
He added: "We are treating the match as a celebration, and we hope the world will see us, but we are not just going to play a friendly match. We want to show our ability to play football, because it is a huge platform and everyone will be watching."
The Augsburg striker continued: "It is an opportunity for all our players to show their skills to the world. If we put in a good performance, we will certainly get the chance to play more big matches. It is an unforgettable moment for us."
For all the celebratory mood, Mounié warned his team-mates against being drawn into provocation. He drew on his own history with Argentine Leonardo Balerdi, whom he faced during the defender's days at Marseille.
Mounié said: "I got a red card because of him. He has his tricks, and he is very cunning. The entire Argentina national team plays this way (dirty play). This is a hallmark of South American teams. They try to affect your morale, to talk to you and provoke you."
He added: "We saw that in the World Cup with Argentina, and also with Paraguay in their match against France. And if you are not mentally strong, you might react and get a red or yellow card. That is why Benin must be careful."
The striker stressed he would warn his team-mates against the trap, saying: "I will ask them to stay calm, because the Argentina players are capable of provoking you. They have to be clever, because we want to finish the match with 11 players, and I did not do that when I faced Balerdi."
Benin's captain recalled another run-in with the Argentine defender, explaining: "That was not the first time I faced Balerdi. In a previous match, he did something similar when he grabbed my chest and I got a yellow card, then I got the red card a year later."
Mounié concluded his remarks by saying: "He is a very cunning player, but he is a good player. If I see him in the match, I will ask him not to do that with our young players, and I will ask everyone to be careful. But he will do it anyway, because this is the game he plays, and that everyone plays."
