Edgardo Bauza reacted to the suspensions and injuries in his Argentina squad immediately after the victory over Chile by calling up Lucas Alario, Matías Caruzzo and Iván Marcone but El Patón has now also added Rosario Central’s veteran defender Javier Pinola to the group travelling to La Paz.

The 34-year-old has recently returned from a broken leg suffered in the first half of the current league season but following the extended summer break, Pinola has gone straight back into the centre of Central’s defence under new coach Paolo Montero.

Prior to that injury, Pinola had proven himself to be one of the outstanding defenders in the Primera División and that was rewarded by Gerardo Martino, who handed Pelado only his second Argentina appearance against Bolivia in Córdoba.

#Eliminatorias Javier Pinola fue convocado por Edgardo Bauza para el partido ante @fbf_oficial. ¡Bienvenido! pic.twitter.com/yxlsVxgd4T

— Selección Argentina (@Argentina) March 26, 2017

Despite more regularly playing in central defence since his move to Central, Pinola has spent most of his career as a left back and will provide an option for Bauza in both positions.

Alfio Basile gave Pinola his only other Argentina call up back in 2007 for a friendly against Algeria but arguably during his ten-year stay with German club Nürnberg, where he remains a club icon, the committed defender should have been given further opportunities.