Messi suffocated by love and fantasy

Argentina 1 Iceland 1: The interval was almost upon us at Spartak Stadium and Jorge Sampaoli’s stress levels had long since moved beyond critical. That’s actually where they started.

No medical measure or DEFCON scale could calculate what was going on under the suit jacket and skinny jeans of Argentina’s manager on Saturday. He prowled the periphery of his technical area and wore the grass bald as muscles jerked and veins popped.

But as the match clock hit 43 minutes, it momentarily looked grave for the 58-year-old. Argentina had gifted possession away again and he turned in disgust from the field. He reached his hands up to his neck and grasped at…nothing. It was Arsene Wenger feeling for an open pocket where there was none — only much more serious.