Albicelestes news around the world

Busy week this one. Here's a selection of news involving Argentina and some of the notable Albiceleste players.

HELPING HAITI TO HELP PALERMO

As you are well-aware, Argentina (the domestic B side) will face Haiti on Wednesday in a friendly match that will be used to raise money for the Caribbean country that was hit by an earthquake in January.

At the same time, you could argue this is a match that will also benefit Martín PALERMO. He will have another chance to score (and most likely he will) against a very weak rival on national TV. That match, together with the constant propaganda made by the mainstream media in every paper, radio show or TV program, plus the advertising campaigns in which we can actually see PALERMO scoring a goal from the roof top of a tall building to another, does nothing to enhance 'El Titán' chances of making it to the World Cup. Not to mention Diego's friendship with him and the sense of eternal gratitude he now has for PALERMO after that goal against Perú in the WCQ.

On the same stage, Ariel ORTEGA, who used to be a great servant for Argentina (the key words being: "used to be") will also get his share of minutes and recently he has said that nobody will prevent him from dreaming of making it to South Africa. My hope is that it remains a dream. Honestly, we are talking about somebody who still has some unique talent, but doesn't have the body he had some 15 years ago and worst of all, he is a confessed alcoholic that can't commit to a training routine for his club, River Plate. How can he be at his best and join our World Cup squad in those circumstances? I beg Diego MARADONA to put his feet on the ground and avoid doing stupid things. I thank ORTEGA for all his service (bar that idiotic reaction heading VAN DER SAR's chin), but I don't want his name anywhere near the list of 30 (let alone the list of 23).

Both ORTEGA and PALERMO have started in MARADONA's first training session ahead of the match and look set to play from kick-off as the two forwards for Argentina.

Of all the other players that were called up to face Haiti, the only other one that appears to have chances to make it to the list of 30 is Juan MERCIER (Argentinos Juniors). The defensive midfielder has seen his chances increase after Rodrigo BRAÑA (Estudiantes de La Plata) has sustained a severe ankle sprain that will keep him out for the rest of May and probably a bit further too. So MERCIER appears as an alternative as a back-up in that key Javier MASCHERANO role.

WILL DI MARIA DRESS ALL WHITE NEXT SEASON?

Rumour has it Benfica has bought young hot-shot Nicolás GAITÁN (8.5 million Euro) from Boca Juniors because they have a deal done with Real Madrid that will bring Angel DI MARIA to the Bernabéu.

The deal is reportedly to be for about 45 million US Dollars and will see DI MARIA playing alongside Cristiano RONALDO, who recently said he would love to play together with Angel.

SERIE A COULD BE THE NEW HOME FOR OTAMENDI

Nicolás OTAMENDI, a player that is not very well-liked by many of our readers, perhaps because he is seen as the one occupying the place that traditionally belonged to Javier ZANETTI and perhaps because he is seen as inexperienced, could ply his trade in Italy next season.

The central defender from Velez Sarsfield, one of the best prospects that surged from the domestic league in recent years had a tough game against Brazil and was really exposed together with his club team-mate Sebastián DOMINGUEZ, but ended up having good games in Uruguay and Germany and is certainly one for the future. We will need to see if he is one for the present.

OTAMENDI is generating interest from Serie A clubs and AC Milan have apparently offered as much as 12 million Euro, though Velez Sarsfield has put a price tag of 20 million on their player.

BARRIOS AND THREE OTHER ARGENTINE PLAYERS ON PARAGUAY LIST

As announced on Mundo Albiceleste a couple of weeks ago, Lucas BARRIOS will be on Paraguay's preliminary list.

Together with the Borussia Dortmund striker will be Néstor ORTIGOZA (Argentinos Juniors), Jonathan SANTANA (Wolfsburg) and Sergio AQUINO (Libertad de Paraguay). All of them were born in Argentina, though their family hails from Paraguay.

I'm not sure about AQUINO, but BARRIOS, ORTIGOZA and SANTANA should all make it to South Africa and what kills me the most is that ORTIGOZA is a penalty-kick maestro. He's got a record of 15 of 15 playing for Argentinos Juniors. And we all know what a precious asset it is at a World Cup to have penalty-kick experts.

That said...I'm not sure whether ORTIGOZA would have made it to Argentina's World Cup Squad anyway.