Argentina will play Croatia in Nizhny Novgorod on Thursday. Croatia forward Nikola Kalinic was sent home from the squad after refusing to come on as a substitute during Saturday’s match against Nigeria, which Croatia win 2-0.

"I don't know the exact reason why he [Kalinic] left the World Cup. I think that Croatia are an integral team who won the first [World Cup] match, and this victory has consolidated them even more. So I don't think that this [Kalinic's expulsion] will weaken them... I don't think this will change much," Sampaoli told journalists.