Argentina unveils Olympic soccer squad

BUENOS AIRES, June 26 (Xinhua) -- The coach of the Argentine Under-23 national soccer team, Sergio Batista announced on Thursday his squad for August's Olympic Games.

Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Sergio Aguero (Atletico de Madrid) and Fernando Gago (Real Madrid) are the most noticeable in the 15-man roster to which Batista is expected to add by July 23 three more players.

Meanwhile, three senior players in the team will be Juan Ramon Riquelme (Boca Juniors/Argentina), Javier Mascherano (Liverpool/ England) and Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo La Coruna/Spain).

Coloccini, if his club does not reject to lend him, will replace Martin Demichelis.

From the three remaining places, one choice will be made among the forwards Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid), Laurato Acosta (Sevilla) and Mauro Zarate (Birmingham/England).

The others could be the midfielder Diego Buonanotte (River Plate) and Damian Escudero (Velez Sarsfield).

Batista is waiting for the evolution in the lesion of the defense Ezequiel Garay (Racing de Santander), who would be team capitan if he is in good physical conditions.

Batista Thursday told TyC Sports TV channel that "there are many good players, but one must think that you can't put one over the other, but to chose what is better for the team balance."

Batista said that Messi will be in Beijing because the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) oblige the clubs to concede the player under 23 years old.

Batista denied that Messi has differences with Riquelme, although he said that if they have "it will be talked with them because I want them both in the Olympic Games."

The squad:

Goalkeeper: Oscar Ustari (Getafe-Spain) and Sergio Romero (Az Alkmaar- Holland)

Defenders: Pablo Zabaleta (Espanyol-Spain), Ezequiel Garay (Racing de Santander-Sapin), Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo la Coruna-Spain) Federico Fazio (Sevilla-Spain) and Fabian Monzon (Doca Juniros-Argentina)

Midfilder: Fernando Gago (Real Madrid-Spian, Ever Banega (Valencia-Spain), Javier Mascherano (Liverpool-England), Juan Ramon Riquelme (Boca Juniors-Argentina) and Jose Sosa (Bayern Munich-Germany)

Forwards: Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid-Spain), Lionel Messi (Barcelona-Spain) and Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli-Italy).