Brazil and Argentina will face off for a second time in 2018. As discussed in yesterday’s blog post, the two sides have played each other just once at the 2014 World Cup. On June 26, 2010, Brazil defeated Argentina 3-1 in their first meeting, but lost 1-0 in this year’s Copa America final. The pair will face off again in the 2018 World Cup, and it’s certain to be a closely contested affair. Both countries have a proud history at this tournament, and, as the hosts, Brazil and Argentina will be expected to provide a positive, entertaining experience for those that attend.
The World Cup has been underway for nearly a month, and we still have plenty of time left in which to see how these 32 teams perform. This is especially true for the eight teams that will play in the round of 16, and who will face off in just a few days to determine which four will advance to the quarterfinals. One of the teams that remains in the group stage, and who will be a contender for a spot in the next round, is the yellow-clad Brazil squad.
On Sunday, Lionel Messi and Neymar, PSG colleagues, resume their national rivalry. Getty Images/MAURO PIMENTEL/AFP
Brazil and Argentina meet again nine weeks after the Copa America final, this time after the Albiceleste won the continental title.
This time there isn’t a championship on the line. This is the ninth round of World Cup qualifying for South America. And who makes it to Qatar is unlikely to be affected by the match. With a perfect record thus far in the campaign, Brazil is on the verge of securing their spot even before the action reaches the halfway point. Argentina will have to be dragged into the dogfight if anything goes horribly wrong. Even yet, the match in Sao Paulo on Sunday afternoon is significant — and not only because of the historical rivalry. Not even because Lionel Messi might become the all-time leading scorer from Argentina. Argentine striker Diego Maradona has 76 goals to his credit. Pele, who retired from the stage nearly exactly 50 years ago, finished with 77 points. Could Messi choose this game to tie or perhaps break the record?
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But even this is secondary to the match’s primary subject, which Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni emphasized on the eve of the game.
Scaloni said, “I don’t believe it matters where you end on the qualifying standings.” “What matters is how you get to the World Cup.”
Brazil vs. Argentina will serve as a litmus test for the two South American powers in Qatar in a little more than a year. It’s the kind of high-octane, high-pressure match that might happen in the World Cup’s knockout rounds against strong opponents. Brazil, of course, will be missing eleven of the players they called up for the match, including nine Premier League players who were not released and two players who were recalled by their Russian teams.
There are many reasons for Brazil’s relative complacency in the face of this fact. One is, presumably, the belief that honey catches more flies than vinegar, and that a spirit of collaboration with European teams will be required. There’s also the standings position to consider. Brazil has the financial means to experiment, to consider alternative choices, and to make the most of a bad situation. Furthermore, some of the players that are absent are unlikely to have seen action, while the others may be replaced.
Manchester City’s Ederson would have been the first-choice goalkeeper, with Liverpool’s Alisson close behind. Weverton of Palmeiras, on the other hand, is an excellent deputy in their absence. The matter of Thiago Silva, a centre-back, will be dealt with soon, but few have lamented the loss of Manchester United midfielder Fred. Richarlison, Roberto Firmino, and Gabriel Jesus, the three up front, would have all been in contention to start. However, none of them are seen as essential, and supporters were delighted to see Flamengo’s Gabriel Barbosa given a chance.
The absence of players has both a good and bad connotation. One is that Brazil has such an incredible depth of talent that replacements are easy to come by. The second issue is a scarcity of real, unquestionable world-class talent. Who else, except Neymar, falls into this category? Yes, the goalkeepers. Casemiro, maybe, but some are beginning to doubt the Real Madrid center midfielder’s mobility. Marquinhos, the centre-back? Unquestionably. The Paris Saint-Germain defender is one of those defenders who is so excellent that he may often go undetected. He’d fit in in with any national team on the planet. He will not, however, be in Brazil’s starting lineup on Sunday. Brazil’s most crucial defender is out after receiving a yellow card late in the 1-0 victory against Chile on Thursday.
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Argentina’s 1-0 victory over Brazil in the Copa America final, which ended a 28-year title drought, is dissected by Alejandro Moreno.
As a result, Brazil will be missing both centre-backs who faced Argentina in the Copa America final. Thiago Silva’s inclusion in the game may have been a mistake. Chelsea’s veteran has unavoidably lost some of his speed. He plays in the center of the back three for his club, where he can operate in tight spaces. Because he sat deep, Brazil found it more difficult to push in midfield whenever he played throughout the Copa. Rodrigo De Paul was allowed time to select the pass, which resulted in Angel Di Maria’s title-winning goal.
The natural progression was to deploy the Eder Militao alongside Marquinhos. Both players performed well against Chile. However, Militao now bears a significant amount of responsibility as a result of Marquinhos’ absence. So, what is Tite’s job? Miranda has been called up for the first time since the World Cup in 2018. Is Tite confident in his knowledge? Or does he start Benfica’s Lucas Verissimo, who is younger and faster?
The coach must also make choices about the form of his assault. Chile’s performance was underwhelming, and Brazil has scored only three goals in its previous four games, including the Copa. Is it possible that now is the perfect moment to have a look at Matheus Cunha? The new Atletico Madrid acquisition is a true centre-forward who may help Neymar by pushing the Argentina defense back and creating space.
Argentina, although being six points behind the leaders in the standings, seems to be more settled, with a play style centered on a complex midfield passing circuit. Scaloni has options: the fullbacks can be more or less aggressive, and he can go from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2 with Di Maria, which is the configuration he used in the Copa final and in the 3-1 win against Venezuela on Thursday.
Individual rather than communal issues are the more important ones here. Argentina would hope to welcome back Tottenham’s Cristian Romero, who was already considered as the first-choice centre-back three months after his debut. Is he any good? At this point in his career, how susceptible is his defensive partner, Nicolas Otamendi? Will Brazil be able to develop an offensive combination, and if so, will Argentina be able to counter it? These are enormous issues that apply not just to the 90 minutes in Sao Paulo, but also to the World Cup in Qatar.
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