Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli has disclosed that he was the brain behind the proposition that Messi should miss the upcoming international friendly vs. the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

He made this known at a press conference in Moscow on Friday. As monitored by TYC Sports, Sampaoli said:

”Leo, I see him very mature and we can start a dialogue from coach to player, if have the possibility of taking a match, at a time when he has some muscular fatigue, we will do it.”

”We have to prove absolutely nothing, we have to prove it to the environment and we are on that path, I’m the one who proposed he does not play against Nigeria.

”He has never proposed to stop playing because his happiness is in the game.” he added.

Argentina will face World Cup hosts Russia on Saturday with Messi before a Messi-less team battle Nigeria at the Krasnodar Stadium in Russia on Tuesday.