Lionel Messi-led Argentine men's football team's proposed Kerala visit in November is off, reported a popular Spanish-language media on Thursday.

La Nacion quoted an official with the Argentine Football Association (AFA) in a report that talked about the national team's fixtures in the next FIFA window (November 10-18).

"We did everything possible to make it happen in November; a delegation even traveled to India to see the field, the hotel..., but ultimately, India couldn't meet the requirements," La Nacion quoted the AFA official as saying.

The official further said that the deal with Kerala fell through because "there were repeated breaches". "What we're going to do is reorganise the contract to find a new date," the AFA official said, adding that they were looking at the possibility of rearranging the proposed friendly in March next year.

ADVERTISEMENT

Last month, Hector Daniel Cabrera, who was introduced as the venue manager of AFA, visited Kochi to evaluate the facilities at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at Kaloor, the proposed venue for the friendly. 

Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurahiman met Cabrera at the stadium and reassured that the match was on schedule. Meanwhile, a private broadcasting company that was entrusted with arranging the game and related events, said Australia has agreed to play the November 17 friendly with Argentina in Kochi.

ADVERTISEMENT

Minister Abdurahiman was unavailable for a comment on the latest development.

TAGS

Google News Add as a preferred source on Google
The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Onmanorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.