Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina will miss Lionel Messi's farewell match for Argentina. Their club, AS Roma, did not grant the two 2022 World Cup winners permission to travel to Buenos Aires for the tribute, citing sporting and logistical reasons.

The farewell match is scheduled for 6 October against Benin at the Estadio Monumental, organised by the AFA. The federation invited all the 2022 world champions and their families. However, Roma released an official statement on 29 September explaining their position. "The decision was based on sporting and logistical reasons," the club said. It added that the duration of the intercontinental flight and the proximity of official commitments were key factors. The flight between Rome and Buenos Aires takes approximately 14 hours each way.

Roma have a Serie A match against Como on 11 October and a Champions League fixture against Real Madrid on 14 October. The team leads Serie A with 13 points, sharing the top spot with Inter and Lazio. Despite not being called up by Lionel Scaloni for the friendlies against Bolivia and Burkina Faso, Dybala and Molina had intended to attend Messi's event. In its statement, Roma expressed its "maximum respect for Lionel Messi and his extraordinary career, wishing him and the Argentine Federation a very special evening".

Messi, who announced his international retirement on 31 August, will play his 208th match for the Albiceleste. The captain is the team's all-time top scorer with 125 goals and has netted 8 times in 8 appearances this year. Argentina, who sit first in the World Cup standings with 9 points, face Bolivia this Tuesday in Córdoba.

Other Roma players, Matías Soulé and Santiago Castro, were called up by Scaloni and will attend the event. Giovanni Lo Celso and Rodrigo De Paul, although not in the squad for the initial friendlies, will play against Benin. In that same match, Nicolás Otamendi will also have his own farewell from the national team. The team's last official result was a 1-0 defeat to Spain in July, but their recent form shows four wins in their last five outings. To follow the squad's development, visit the squad section.

The original report is at Clarin Deportes