Otamendi to miss Argentina friendlies

BUENOS AIRES, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Manchester City defender Nicolas Otamendi has been cut from Argentina's squad for friendlies against Venezuela and Morocco because of a sprained left ankle, the South American country's football association (AFA) said on Sunday.

Otamendi suffered the injury during Manchester City's 3-2 victory over Swansea City in their FA Cup quarterfinal on Saturday.

The AFA confirmed Otamendi's omission on its Twitter account and did not immediately name a replacement for the 31-year-old.

Argentina face Venezuela in Madrid on March 22 and Morocco in Tangier four days later.

The matches will mark the return of Lionel Messi to the Albiceleste squad for the first time since last year's World Cup in Russia.