Summer is a busier time on the pitch for some than others. Aston Villa players Enzo Barrenechea and Emiliano Martínez will have early June all planned out for them, as they were selected for the Argentina national team.
Already qualified for the 2026 World Cup, the upcoming fixtures will allow the Lionel Scaloni side to further work on their chemistry and work with differing lineups in preparation for the tournament that will be held in North America next year.
Through CONMEBOL WC qualifiers, Argentina earned 10 wins out of 14 matches. Their 31 total points have provided them an eight-point cushion over second-place Ecuador.
Now they are preparing for two more opportunities to build on that momentum. The current No. 1 team in the FIFA rankings will play Chile on June 5th. They will then host Columbia on June 10th.
In terms of the Villans themselves, there are some questions surrounding their future in B6.
Martínez could well be on his way out of the club, possibly joining Leon Bailey in a move to the Saudi League. Barrenechea, meanwhile, enjoyed a loan spell at Valencia and may be part of the club's efforts to get under the needed PSR threshold.
In either event, the first priority for Martínez and Barrenechea will be to have a good showing for the home country's team. While 'Dibu' would expect to see the entirety of the 180-plus minutes between the posts, Barrenechea will have a chance to impress and earn a spot in the Argentinian midfield.
Particularly with Argentina already through qualifying, the 24-year-old could end up seeing a larger role for himself than what he initially would have been able to anticipate.
Yet to make a cap for Argentina, this June appears like a good chance where Barrenechea could make his first international appearance at the senior level.