RIO DE JANEIRO, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Argentina will have no margin for error when they meet Venezuela in the Copa America quarterfinals on Friday, according to midfielder Leandro Paredes.
The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder has been a shining light for Argentina in this tournament, playing in a more withdrawn role than his customary No. 8 position.
"I know I still have a long way to go," Paredes told reporters ahead of the match at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium.
"I'm working hard in every training session and every match to get better. I knew that when I changed position I had to add new aspects to my game and hopefully I've done that."
The 24-year-old said he felt no pressure to fill the void left by Javier Mascherano, the midfield organizer who retired from international football after last year's World Cup.
"I take on the challenge in the best way possible because I like to have the ball and assume responsibility during matches," said the former Roma player, who has been capped 15 times for his country.
Paredes said he is wary of the threat posed by Venezuela, who beat Argentina 3-1 the last time the sides met in March.
"We saw how they hurt us on the counterattack," he said of the friendly defeat in Madrid. "We have to stay focused and try to keep the game under control. Hopefully we'll have learned from that match."
