Argentina leave out Tevez for friendlies

Argentina boss Sergio Batista has called up seven Serie A players for this month’s friendlies against the US and Costa Rica.

Manchester City star Carlos Tevez and Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero were surprise omissions from Batista’s squad, but Inter Milan duo Javier Zanetti and Esteban Cambiasso have been rewarded for their good form with selection.

Other Italian-based players included are Napoli pair Ezequiel Lavezzi and Jose Sosa, plus Catania’s Mariano Andujar, Roma defender Nicolas Burdisso and Palermo’s Javier Pastore.

Independiente goalkeeper Adrian Gabbarini comes into the squad, as does Sevilla central defender Federico Fazio, who replaces Spartak Moscow stopper Nicolas Pareja.

Argentina travel to New Jersey to play the US on March 26 and then on to San Jose to take on Costa Rica on March 29.

Argentina squad: Sergio Romero, Mariano Andujar, Adrian Gabbarini; Federico Fazio, Javier Zanetti, Ezequiel Garay, Pablo Zabaleta, Marcos Rojo, Gabriel Milito, Nicolas Burdisso, Nicolas Otamendi; Mario Bolatti, Javier Mascherano, Ever Banega, Lucas Biglia, Jose Sosa, Esteban Cambiasso, Fernando Belluschi, Javier Pastore, Angel Di Maria; Ezequiel Lavezzi, Lionel Messi, Nicolas Gaitan, Eduardo Salvio.