Argentina are to report Inter to FIFA, after the club failed to release Javier Zanetti and Cristian Gonzalez in time for Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier with Ecuador.

Inter included both midfielders in their squad for Sunday’s Italian Serie A match against Reggina, meaning they were unable to arrive in Buenos Aires the stipulated 48 hours before kickoff.

Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa attacked the Italian club, claiming fixture congestion was killing the sport.

“They weren’t going to be able to meet the demands of professional football,” he said.

“They were willing to come but the situation was absolutely abnormal. They accepted the decision with sadness and disappointment because they have a great identity with the national team.

“But I told them that asking them not to travel in these circumstances showed that we value and recognise them as players.”

“If a player is going to play in different continents, he should arrive five days before,” Bielsa said.

“In this case, they did not even respect the 48-hour period. It makes me indignant that it has come to this. It’s killing football. It’s taking away from the public the possibility of seeing the spectacle they would wish for.”