Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has confirmed that he will continue as the national team coach, at least until the end of the year, as his side prepare to face Chile in the Copa America third-place playoff.
Meanwhile, the boss reiterated his irritation with the refereeing during the 2-0 semifinal defeat to Brazil which eliminated his side from the competition.
Scaloni's continuity in the dugout looked uncertain after Argentina's failure to reach the Copa America final, but Scaloni himself said, after speaking with Argentina FA president Claudio Tapia, that he will remain in his position.
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"I spoke with Tapia and we will continue until Dec. 30, when my contract expires. There was no talk about [what will happen beyond that]. I will be here for the next six games and after that the Argentine FA will have to make a decision," Scaloni confirmed in a news conference ahead of the match against Chile.
"I do not feel that I am on a trial. My trial already happened. My trial was bringing these young guys, giving them the chance to play in the national team, making them competitive against Brazil. We have achieved what we wanted to do when we came. In the next six games we will do the same, trying to make them feel identified with the team.
"People got tired of saying that I have no experience, and I confirm it. It is true. That said, now I'm another manager. I do not know everything, nor do I know a lot. But I do not know if many manager can have this experience ... I had the opportunity to start at the top and I am eternally grateful to the AFA."
Scaloni also voiced his frustration once again with VAR, as referee Roddy Zambrano refused to seek help for two possible penalties in the 2-0 semifinal defeat to Brazil.
Captain Lionel Messi blasted the officiating after the game, and earlier on Friday the Argentine FA logged a new complaint, asking the company that supplies VAR to answer recent reports claiming Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro's security team interfered with VAR communications before the game.
Scaloni said: "The more time passes, the more we realize that they took something from us. After the games we [generally] think that they took something from us and the next day we calms down a bit.
"The more time passes, the more we realize that they took something from us. We are hurt, we feel hurt. We believe that we had it in our hands, that we did enough on the pitch to reach the final. Then with VAR, the refereeing, the small details, you realize that something happened. Now we have to turn the page and think about what's coming."