Argentina vs Burkina Faso Friendly in Doubt After Travel Chaos
Argentina’s planned friendly with Burkina Faso in Buenos Aires is in serious doubt after the visiting squad endured major travel disruption and internal unrest before its delayed departure from Morocco.
Burkina Faso had been due to travel on a charter flight on September 30, but the service was cancelled without notice. The delegation remained stranded in Morocco for several days while officials sought a new route to Argentina.
An emergency private flight was eventually arranged for Friday night, leaving the Etalons with a journey of around 24 hours across the Atlantic and almost no preparation time before the scheduled kick-off. The match is listed for Sunday, October 4, at 00:00 GMT.
Players reportedly leave camp
The travel problems have been compounded by disputes within the Burkina Faso camp. Several players reportedly chose not to make the trip amid concerns over organisation and financial matters, further reducing the certainty that the fixture can go ahead as planned.
The Burkinabe Football Federation confirmed that some members of the squad had become reluctant to continue the journey because of the extended travel arrangements.
In its statement, the federation said the cancellation of the original charter had forced a complete revision of the delegation’s itinerary. It added that the Ministry of Sports, the federation and the country’s embassy had worked to identify a solution, but that travel-time constraints had created hesitation among players.
Argentina’s schedule
Argentina now face the prospect of losing one of their October fixtures at short notice. Lionel Scaloni’s side are also due to meet Benin in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, October 6.
The Benin match is expected to carry particular significance, with Lionel Messi set for an official farewell appearance for Argentina. If Burkina Faso cannot fulfil the weekend fixture, the world champions will turn their attention directly to that historic occasion in the capital.
