Messi Absent From Squad In Barcelona Agreement

Maradona said the home-based players, who could include playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme, would be named at a later date.

Lionel Messi has been left out of the Argentina squad for this month's friendly with Scotland as part of the agreement with Barcelona which allowed the forward to take part in the Olympic Games.

Diego Maradona, announcing the squad after being appointed Argentina coach on Tuesday, said he would respect the compromise made between the Argentina Football Association and the Spanish club before the Beijing Games.

Barcelona won an appeal in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against a FIFA rule ordering them to release him for the Games, then said he could play as long as he did not take part in any friendlies this season.

There were no major surprises in Maradona's first squad although he included defenders Javier Zanetti and Gabriel Heinze, two players who many felt could be the first victims of the change of leadership.

Maradona said the home-based players, who could include playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme, would be named at a later date.

Argentina visit Scotland on Nov. 19.

Goalkeepers: Juan Pablo Carrizo (Lazio), Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar)

Defenders: Nicolas Burdisso (Inter Milan), Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle United), Martin Demichelis (Bayern Munich), Daniel Diaz (Getafe), Gabriel Heinze (Real Madrid), Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan)

Midfielders: Angel Di Maria (Benfica), Fernando Gago (Real Madrid), Luis Gonzalez (Porto), Jonas Gutierrez (Newcastle United), Javier Mascherano (Liverpool), Maximiliano Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid), Jose Sosa (Bayern Munich)

Strikers: Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid), German Denis (Napoli), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli), Lisandro Lopez (Porto), Carlos Tevez (Manchester United)