'Very difficult to understand' - Lionel Scaloni boss criticises World Cup schedule as Argentina prepare for Egypt showdown after gruelling Cape Verde win

The 3-2 extra-time win against Cape Verde leaves the Albiceleste with just three days to prepare for the round-of-16 clash against Egypt on Tuesday. To make matters worse, they had to cancel their Saturday morning training session due to a storm hitting Miami.

Scaloni did not hold back in his assessment of the tournament's structure following Argentina's narrow victory. Despite coming away with a win, the manager was audibly frustrated by the lack of recovery time afforded to his players compared to the earlier stages of the competition.

Speaking to the press after the match, Scaloni questioned the logic behind the calendar: "What comes from now on? Now to rest. I don't know how the World Cup is made but we have had six days and now we have three and a half. When you need the rest the most, you have the least. It's a very difficult thing to understand, it should have started gradually. But oh well, that's the way it is."

The fixture frustration comes on the heels of a match that pushed the defending champions to their absolute limits. On a night that marked his milestone 100th game in charge, Scaloni admitted it would have been "crazy" for Argentina to lose after they were forced into extra time by a resilient African side. The 3-2 victory ensured passage, but it left the squad physically drained.

Captain Lionel Messi also felt the intensity of the clash, revealing the physical toll of the game. Messi jokingly noted that while opponents "kick the crap" out of him during the ninety minutes, they are more than happy to ask for his shirt and a selfie once the final whistle sounds. The physical nature of the game has left Scaloni sweating over the fitness of several key stars.

The short turnaround is particularly worrying given the knocks picked up in Miami. Facundo Medina was forced off with severe cramping, while midfield engine Enzo Fernandez also suffered from cramps late in the game. Furthermore, Nico Gonzalez sustained a twisted ankle during the extra period, adding to a growing list of concerns for the medical department.

"Enzo got a little cramp at the end, but he recovered. He finished the game with cramps again, but we didn't have any more windows of opportunity," Scaloni said. "We're happy with Facundo. He finished very tired because we used him quite a bit in attack, which he's not used to. He'd been playing as a third centre-back, without attacking much. He ended up with cramps but he was fine, and luckily we have Nico [Tagliafico] on the bench who gives us the help we need and he showed that he's also fit."

Argentina will travel to Atlanta to face an Egypt side that is riding high on confidence after overcoming Australia. The Pharaohs progressed after players gathered around a laptop screen to study specific footage of penalty routines before their shootout win. Their meticulous preparation makes them a dangerous prospect for a fatigued Argentine side.