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Barcelona star Lionel Messi on Friday was included in Argentina's squad for crucial November World Cup qualifiers against Brazil and Colombia. Coach Edgardo Bauza omitted Manchester United defender Marco Rojo but otherwise made only four changes to the Albiceleste, who lost at home to Paraguay last month and are perched precariously in fifth place in the CONMEBOL table. Messi returns to the team for the first time since scoring the lone goal in Argentina's 1-0 win over Uruguay in September. He did not play in Argentina's 2-2 draw in Venezuela due to a groin injury, opting instead to return to Spain for therapy and to prepare for La Liga. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner also sat out Argentina's October qualifiers, and the team struggled to a 2-2 draw vs. Peru and a 1-0 loss to Paraguay. Bauza added Racing midfielder Marcos Acuna and Sao Paulo defender Julio Buffarini to the squad as well. In qualifying, Argentina have won all three of the games in which the Barcelona forward has played but only one of the seven he has missed. The seven CONMEBOL teams are chasing four-and-a-half slots (the side finishing fifth will meet the winners of Oceania in a playoff). Squad: Goalkeepers: Nahuel Guzman, (Tigres), Sergio Romero (Manchester United), Geronimo Rulli, (Real Sociedad). Defenders: Martin Demichelis (Espanyol), Mateso Musacchio (Villarreal), Nicolas Otamendi (Manchester City), Ramiro Funes Mori (Everton), Gabriel Mercado, (Sevilla), Facundo Roncaglia (Celta de Vigo), Emanuel Mas (San Lorenzo), Pablo Zabaleta, (Manchester City). Midfielders: Javier Mascherano (Barcelona), Guido Pizarro (Tigres), Lucas Biglia (Lazio), Ever Banega (Inter Milan), Enzo Perez (Valencia), Nicolas Gaitan ( Atlético Madrid), Angel Di Maria (PSG), Julio Buffarini (Sao Paulo), Marcos Acuna (Racing Club). Forwards: Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Gonzalo Higuaín (Juventus), Paulo Dybala (Juventus), Sergio Agüero (Manchester City), Lucas Pratto (Atletico Mineiro).
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