Argentina’s farewell match for Lionel Messi has been overshadowed by concerns about the treatment of their opponents Benin before the highly anticipated fixture in Buenos Aires.
Messi is set to make his final appearance for Argentina on Tuesday, 6 October, in a friendly against Benin at the Estadio Mas Monumental.
The occasion is expected to be a major celebration for the Argentina captain, but concerns raised over the conditions provided for the visiting African side have attracted attention.
According to The Guardian, Benin’s preparations for the match have highlighted concerns over how Argentina has handled its recent friendly fixtures against African opposition.
Argentina have regularly faced African teams in friendly matches in recent years.
Five of their last 10 friendlies have reportedly been against sides from the continent.
The report suggests one reason for this pattern is the relatively low fees African countries are prepared to accept for such fixtures.
However, it also raises questions about the conditions offered to those teams when they travel to Argentina.
Benin, for example, were not provided with a charter flight for the trip to Buenos Aires.
Instead, the team had to use several commercial flights, with the overall journey taking about 25 hours.
One of the team’s video analysts reportedly fainted during the long trip.
The difficulties continued after the team arrived in Argentina.
Benin were accommodated in a hotel described as being in poor condition, with several rooms reportedly lacking hot water.
The sauna was also out of service, while the gym available to the team was described as particularly small.
The financial benefits for Benin from the match have also been questioned.
The Estadio Mas Monumental, which can accommodate about 85,000 spectators, is expected to be full for Messi’s final international appearance.
However, according to the report, most of the revenue from the fixture will go to the Argentine Football Association, leaving Benin with little financial reward despite their involvement in the high-profile occasion.
The attraction for Benin is largely the opportunity to participate in Messi’s farewell match.
For a team from Africa, playing against one of the world’s most celebrated footballers in front of a packed stadium represents a significant sporting occasion.
The concerns surrounding Benin are not an isolated case, according to the report.
Argentina also invited Burkina Faso for a friendly earlier in the week, but that fixture was affected by similar travel difficulties.
The Burkina Faso delegation had to take multiple flights to reach Argentina.
Despite those concerns, the focus on Tuesday will inevitably be on Messi.
The Argentina captain is set to make his 208th and final appearance for the national team as he brings an end to an international career that has included some of the country’s biggest footballing achievements.
