Argentina recall Riquelme, Saviola
Luis Ampuero
Argentina have named Barcelona duo Javier Saviola and Juan Roman Riquelme, who both missed out on the South Americans' miserable World Cup campaign, in their squad for this month's friendly away to Japan.
They have also dropped veteran midfielder Diego Simeone from a 20-man squad for the match in Saitama on November 20.
The match is Argentina's first since their shock first round elimination from the Japan/South Korea tournament in June and the start of what local media have dubbed "The Revenge" for coach Marcelo Bielsa, who has kept his job despite the debacle.
Bielsa also called up uncapped Deportivo Coruna midfielder Lionel Scaloni, left out veteran striker Gabriel Batistuta, who said after Argentina's World Cup exit that he was quitting the national team, and did not include a single home-based player.
Bielsa is in Europe to watch some of his players and was not available to comment on his selection which is likely to be questioned on both sides of the Atlantic.
Argentine media are predicting a storm of protest from Spanish clubs Real Madrid and Barcelona, who meet four days after the friendly and had a total of four players picked between them, even though the Japan match is on a date allocated by world body FIFA for internationals.
Argentines may also question the timing of his decision to finally give a chance to Riquelme, who is currently struggling to win a first team place at Barcelona yet was repeatedly overlooked when he was on song with local club Boca Juniors.
Saviola's inclusion is likely to be welcomed as the absence of the player known as "The Rabbit" is seen as one of the main reasons behind Argentina's World Cup failure.
The futures of Simeone, who has won an Argentine record 106 caps but not demonstrated any wish to end his international career, and Batistuta remain unclear after their exclusion.
Simeone is 32 and may feel he has another couple of years' service to give.
Batistuta, 33, said after Argentina failed to beat Sweden in their final World Cup group match and were eliminated from the tournament that he had played for his country for the last time, but there is speculation that he has had second thoughts.
Squad:
Goalkeepers - Roberto Bonano (Barcelona, Spain), Pablo Cavallero (Celta, Spain)
Defenders - Roberto Ayala (Valencia, Spain), Mauricio Pochettino (Paris Saint Germain, France), Diego Placente (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany), Facundo Quiroga (Sporting Lisbon, Portugal), Juan Pablo Sorin (Lazio, Italy), Walter Samuel (AS Roma, Italy), Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan, Italy)
Midfielders - Lionel Scaloni (Deportivo Coruna, Spain), Juan Sebastian Veron (Manchester United, England), Juan Roman Riquelme (Barcelona, Spain), Matias Almeyda (Inter Milan), Santiago Solari (Real Madrid, Spain), Pablo Aimar, Kily Gonzalez (both Valencia, Spain).
Forwards - Claudio Lopez (Lazio, Italy), Ariel Ortega (Fenerbahce, Turkey), Javier Saviola (Barcelona, Spain), Hernan Crespo (Inter Milan, Italy).
