Argentina's Scaloni guarded on Di Maria fitness for Dutch clash

AL RAYYAN, Qatar : Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni was guarded about whether Angel di Maria would be available for Friday's World Cup quarter-final against the Netherlands but said on Thrusday that every player who took the field would be fit.

Forward Di Maria missed the last-16 victory over Australia due to a left thigh injury and Scaloni also faced questions about the fitness of Rodrigo De Paul after reports in the media, which the midfielder denied, that he had a muscle issue.

"In principle, they're feeling well and we will see in today's training and come up with a lineup," he told a news conference, before betraying his irritation at the media coverage.

"Yesterday, we trained behind closed doors so I don't know where this information is coming from ... (but) the team comes first, so if you're out on the field, you must be fit so that you can help the team."

Scaloni has made a habit of switching around the supporting cast for Lionel Messi and resisted questions about whether Enzo Fernandez might be able to push forward, or whether Paulo Dybala might be set for his first minutes in Qatar.

What the 44-year-old coach was prepared to commit to was 100 per cent effort from his players at the Lusail Stadium.

"We know that our team will break their backs as we have done in previous games," he added. "Sometimes we've played very well, sometimes not that well, but we have always stood up for ourselves and that's the thing that our people value.

"We know that we will give it all on the pitch. We know that football sometimes can be very beautiful and sometimes it can be cruel."

Scaloni would also not be drawn on whether he preferred to play arch-rivals Brazil or Croatia in the semi-finals if Argentina get through and said he felt