MERCADO INCLUDED IN THE FIRST ARGENTINA SQUAD OF 2017

The Argentina coach Edgardo Bauza has released his first squad of 2017 which includes Sevilla FC defender Gabriel Mercado. In the first international break of the year Argentina will go up against Chile at home (at El Monumental in Buenos Aires) and Bolivia away from home (at the Estadio Hernando Siles in La Paz) on 23 and 28 March respectively.

With six games remaining, Argentina are fifth in the South American qualifying group for Russia 2018, which would leave them needing to make it through the play-offs to qualify. That said, they are only a point away from the automatic qualification places.