Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the beautiful game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with football metaphors in his homeland.
Gatti -- whose nickname was 'El Loco,' or the mad man -- held the record for most number of games played in Argentina's top football division, with 765. He played from 1962 to 1988.
Maradona died on November 25, 2020, aged 60, while recovering at home from brain surgery for a blood clot. He had battled cocaine and alcohol addiction for decades.
Martinez joins Argentina's growing list of absentees, including captain Lionel Messi, sidelined with a muscle strain, along with Gonzalo Montiel, Giovani Lo Celso, and Paulo Dybala.
Messi and his Argentinian team-mates put an end to their trophy drought by winning the Copa America in 2021 – and haven't stopped winning since.
World Cup champions Argentina are top of the standings with 22 points from 11 matches.
Deportivo Riestra selected a streamer known as "Spreen" for their match against Primera Division leaders Velez Sarsfield on Monday, before substituting the 24-year-old off after 78 seconds. He had not touched the ball.
Aston Villa's Martinez will return to international duty after serving a two-match ban from FIFA for "offensive behavior and violation of the principles of fair play".
Maradona died in November 2020, aged 60, while recovering from brain surgery for a blood clot, and after decades of battling addictions to cocaine and alcohol.
It was another clinical victory for the reigning world champions.
The reigning world champions will also be without Angel Di Maria after the veteran winger's international retirement.
Scaloni's charges are set to clash against Chile on 6 September before taking on Colombia on 10 September.
The bitterness between the two nations increased earlier this month after a video posted by Argentina's Enzo Fernandez following their Copa America title that featured a song sung by some members of the squad about France's players of African descent.
From the depths of despair to the heights of glory, Argentina's redemption story is a testament to perseverance and the indomitable spirit of camaraderie.
The final promises to be a fitting culmination to a tournament filled with drama, skill, and the enduring passion of South American football.
Playing against aging stars like Messi and Angel Di Maria, Valencia thinks Colombia have an advantage.
Can Los Cafetoeros etch their name in football folklore once again?
The Argentina captain also revealed the light-hearted conversation he had with Martinez before the match.
It’s a huge relief for the Inter Milan marksman, who had experienced a miserable 18 months.
