Tevez out of Argentina squad for friendly

Manchester City talisman Carlos Tevez is among a host of star names who will miss Argentina’s friendly against Portugal next month.

Argentina boss Sergio Batista has named his 24-man squad for the friendly in Geneva on February 9, with Tevez and Marseille defender Gabrielle Heinze topping the list of omissions.

Malaga centre-back Martin Demichelis and Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero are also out, while injured Real Madrid attacker Gonzalo Higuain is unavailable.

Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi, who was crowned the World Player of the Year for the second year running earlier this month, has been named.

He joins team-mate Javier Mascherano and Inter Milan trio Javier Zanetti, Diego Milito and Esteban Cambiasso.

Batista was quick to point out that the absence of Tevez and the others bears no weight towards their selection for Argentina’s Copa America campaign.

“Neither Tevez nor any of the lads who were left off this list are out of the national team,” Batista told Argentine radio station La Red.

“I have to see players, lots, and I do that in matches. I have to see if they can wear the national team shirt but I haven’t punished anyone.”

“This doesn’t mean that the players left out now are out of the Copa America. This is a good moment to try out some youngsters.”

Batista has handed uncapped trio Enzo Perez, Juan Manuel Martinez and Marcos Rojo call-ups to the squad after strong seasons in the Primera Division.

Winger Perez was instrumental in Estudiantes’ Apertura triumph, as was former team-mate Rojo, who has since departed to Russian Premier League club Spartak Moscow.

Martinez scored 10 times in 19 appearances for Apertura runners-up Velez Sarsfield.

Batista, having taken over from Diego Maradona, is also tasked with building a side capable of ending Argentina’s 28-year World Cup title drought in Brazil in 2014.

The selection of 37-year-old Zanetti seems contrary to Batista’s desire to blood youngsters, and while the Argentina boss did not guarantee the future of the veteran defender he said: “If he carries on (playing) the way he is, at the same level, he’ll surely be at the Copa America.”