AS Roma block Paulo Dybala & Nahuel Molina from attending Lionel Messi's Argentina farewell game
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Messi to play his last game for the national team.
AS Roma have defended their decision to exclude Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina from attending Lionel Messi’s farewell appearance for Argentina.
The South American nation is ready to say goodbye to its greatest player, after Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football last month.
Messi will make his 208th and final appearance for Argentina in a friendly against Benin on October 6, with past and present colleagues celebrating his illustrious international career.
However, two players who have shared Argentina’s locker room with Messi have been refused the opportunity to attend the farewell match.
Lionel Scaloni did not call up Dybala. Meanwhile, Molina is serving a seven-match ban for his role in the on-field confrontations following the FIFA World Cup 2026 final.
As a result, Roma had to grant the duo permission to travel to Buenos Aires to watch the game at the Estadio Monumental. But they have opted not to.
Roma issued a statement on Tuesday evening explaining why they decided to prevent Dybala and Molina from flying to Argentina.
AS Roma confirm decision not to allow Dybala and Molina to attend Lionel Messi’s farewell game
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The announcement read: “AS Roma informs that Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina will not attend the event hosted in Argentina for the match between Argentina and Benin on October 6th.”
“The club acknowledges the significance of the occasion for both players, who share a close bond with Lionel Messi and were part of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning team alongside him.”
“The decision has been made for sporting and logistical reasons, taking into account the length of the intercontinental journey and the proximity of the Club’s upcoming competitive fixtures.”
“AS Roma has the utmost respect for Lionel Messi and his extraordinary career and wishes him and the Argentine Football Association a very special evening.”
Argentina’s match versus Benin will begin at 8 p.m. local time on Tuesday, October 6, or 1 a.m. CEST on Wednesday, October 7. Meanwhile, Gian Piero Gasperini’s team will face Como in Serie A on Sunday, October 11 at 12:30 pm CEST.
With more than four days between the two games, Roma are concerned that a round trip with more than 28 hours of flying time is insufficient preparation for a crucial league encounter.
Why aren’t Roma allowing Dybala and Molina to go watch Messi’s farewell game?
The gap between Messi’s final match and the club’s upcoming crucial encounter, plus travel duration, will make it difficult for proper preparation for the duo, even if they were allowed to go.
When is Messi’s farewell game for Argentina?
On 6th October against Benin.
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