Argentina will be without midfielder Rodrigo De Paul for their highly anticipated match against Uruguay this Friday, part of the 13th matchday of the South American Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. De Paul experienced mild muscular discomfort during the team’s final practice, and the coaching staff opted to rest him in order to prevent further injury.
The good news for Argentina is that the Atlético de Madrid player’s injury is not serious, and he is expected to be fit for Tuesday’s crucial encounter against Brazil, according to La Nación. Additionally, De Paul is on the verge of a yellow card suspension, with another booking sidelining him for the next match. This has also influenced the tactical decision to rest him.
In De Paul’s absence, coach Lionel Scaloni is likely to adjust his lineup, potentially switching to a 4-5-1 formation. Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, and either Thiago Almada or Leandro Paredes are expected to fill the midfield, while Giuliano Simeone and Nicolás González will likely take the wing positions. Julián Álvarez is set to lead the attack.
Argentina enters the match as the leader of the qualifiers with 25 points, while Uruguay, second with 20, will look to close the gap at the Centenario Stadium with nearly a full-strength squad. In the previous encounter between the two teams, Uruguay stunned the World Cup champions with a 2–0 victory in Buenos Aires, thanks to goals from Araújo and Darwin Núñez.
