Alexis Mac Allister sends heartfelt Finalissima plea after Spain vs Argentina canceled

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Alexis Mac Allister and Argentina have had to hastily rearrange their plans during the international break, with the Liverpool midfielder denied the opportunity to face Spain

Alexis Mac Allister has spoken out after Argentina's game against Spain was canceled(Image: Getty Images)

Alexis Mac Allister has insisted he still wants to play the Finalissima after Argentina’s meeting with Spain was canceled.

The fixture, which pits the champions of Europe and South America against each other, had been scheduled to take place this week in Qatar, but has now been called off due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

There were attempts from the respective national and continental federations to relocate the game, but no agreement could be reached on a suitable venue or date, leading to the game’s cancellation, and leaving Liverpool star Mac Allister and his teammates looking for alternative opponents.

Argentina had also been due to face Qatar in a friendly, with that game also called off. The World Cup holders will now face Mauritania and Zambia in Buenos Aires in hastily arranged games.

Speaking out on the cancellation of the Finalissima — which Argentina won in 2022 after beating Italy at Wembley — Mac Allister told TyC Sports: “It’s a shame because it was a nice match. It didn’t happen and now we have to focus on the friendlies.

Alexis Mac Allister had been due to face Spain in the Finalissima with Argentina(Image: Franklin Jacome/Getty Images)

“Matches are won on the pitch. We are players and we want to play; that’s the most important thing. I would like to play it [the Finalissima] later.”

Mac Allister is one of 13 Liverpool players on international duty over the next week or so, with the Reds getting a break from their disappointing Premier League campaign after another loss at Brighton at the weekend.

Liverpool will return to action on April 4 when it faces Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals, before traveling to France for the first leg of its Champions League tie against Paris Saint-Germain, with Arne Slot’s side looking for revenge as it plots a path to the semi-finals.

Liverpool.com says: It is, of course, the right decision not to be playing in the Middle East right now. It’s just surprising that an alternative venue couldn’t be found, even if it is at short notice.

In any case, Liverpool might not be too disappointed to see Argentina playing against Mauritania and Zambia instead. You can almost certainly guarantee those two games won’t be as hotly contested as a Finalissima against Spain might have been.

That should hopefully mean Mac Allister isn’t worked as hard over the next week or so. Still, him traveling to Buenos Aires and back isn’t ideal ahead of what will be a crucial couple of months for Liverpool at the business end of the season.