Argentina pick Batistuta, leave out Crespo

Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa, who for most of this year has left out record-breaking striker Gabriel Batistuta, added a new twist on Tuesday by picking him but omitting current top scorer Hernan Crespo.

Batistuta, who scored the equaliser in this month's 2-2 draw with Paraguay in his first international for a year, was among 18 players named for November's World Cup qualifiers at home to Peru and away to Uruguay.

Bielsa's decision is bound to fuel speculation that the coach believes the pair, two of the world's top strikers, are incompatible.

On the other hand, Bielsa may simply have chosen to rest Crespo, who broke his nose during Lazio's Italian Serie A match at the weekend but will carry on playing for his club wearing a protective mask.

Argentina have already made sure of their place in the World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea next year by winning the South American qualifying group.

Next month's games will give Batistuta another chance to prove that he is the man to lead the Argentine attack.

Crespo appeared to have claimed Batistuta's place after the AS Roma player was injured late last year.

Batistuta recovered early this year but was repeatedly left out of the Argentine squad as Crespo became the leading scorer in the South American World Cup qualifying competition with nine goals.

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Crespo missed the Paraguay game through injury and now finds himself on the sidelines.

As usual, the squad was named in the form of a statement released by the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and Bielsa was not available to comment on his selections.

Goalkeeper German Burgos, who missed the Paraguay game through suspension, returns to the squad.

Apart from Crespo, other absentees include Lazio midfielder Diego Simeone and Inter Milan full-back Nelson Vivas.

Simeone, the most capped player in Argentine history with more than 100 appearances to his credit, is out for up to six months with a knee ligament injury while Vivas faces a one-month lay-off.

Midfielder Lucas Castroman, who has just one international to his name, was the only surprise choice. All 18 players are based with foreign clubs.

Earlier on Tuesday, Batitusta, who has scored a record- breaking 55 goals for his country, announced that he would retire from international football after next year's World Cup.

Goalkeepers: German Burgos (Atletico Madrid), Pablo Cavallero (Celta Vigo)

Defenders: Roberto Fabian Ayala (Valencia), Walter Samuel (AS Roma), Roberto Sensini (Parma), Diego Placente (Bayer Leverkusen), Mauricio Pochettino (Paris St Germain)

Midfielders: Lucas Castroman (Lazio), Claudio Husain (Napoli), Matias Almeyda (Parma), Marcelo Gallardo (Monaco), Juan Sebastian Veron (Manchester United), Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan), Pablo Aimar (Valencia), Kily Gonzalez (Valencia)

Forwards: Gabriel Batistuta (AS Roma), Claudio Lopez (Lazio), Julio Cruz (Bologna)