In South American football, two heavyweights often go head-to-head in what has become known as “El Superclasico.” It has produced some of the greatest names ever seen on a field – such as Diego Maradona and Pele.
Brazil coach Fernando Diniz must consider Vinicius Junior’s injury from their last game against Colombia when selecting his lineup, with Brighton & Hove Albion’s Joao Pedro potentially being given an opportunity to fill his boots.
Brazil Lineup
Brazil and Argentina have met 109 times throughout their lengthy histories in various competitions, with Brazil winning 43 times to Argentina’s 40, with 26 draws taking place between them. Most recently, Argentina secured victory at Maracana Stadium with a narrow 1-0 victory, marking their inaugural World Cup qualifier win there thanks to a goal scored by Nicolas Otamendi.
Due to fan fighting near the stadium, Messi and his Argentine teammates had to brave a brawl before eventually leaping over a partition toward the stands in order to play. Once match play finally got underway shortly after 7:55 p.m., Argentina quickly took control with several chances, such as an early header from Lautaro that came close to hitting back of net, while Brazil missed several scoring chances as well, such as Casemiro free kicks and Gabriel Jesus shots that hit crossbar.
After the break, both teams traded possession as they sought an opening. Argentina found one in the 63rd minute when Otamendi leapt above Brazil’s defense to head in Rodrygo’s corner kick and give Argentina their sixth victory out of eight in South American qualifying competition. They held on for victory as their record now sits at six wins and four losses.
Brazil coach Tite is expected to maintain the same starting lineup from their last matchup against Chile, but could choose to give some of his younger players an opportunity. The Selecao are hoping to earn qualification into the second phase of the tournament which starts in Qatar; only six countries from each group qualify directly while any seventh-placed country competes in a playoff tournament.
Argentina Lineup
Brazil and Argentina fans attending this match are in for a treat as this will mark the first friendly between these sides since the summer Olympics, where tensions were running high. Although that game was fiercely contested, this one could prove even more volatile as police struggle to maintain order before kickoff; some spectators have reported being hit with batons; stands were damaged; rival fans separated with barriers; Argentina players attempted to reach closer towards the stands but were quickly pulled back into locker rooms before having to warm up during an ongoing crisis resolution process.
Lionel Scaloni announced his team before the match and it boasts some of the greatest names in football: from Lionel Messi (World’s Greatest Player) and Marcos Rojo of Everton to Manchester City’s Javier Hernandez – to an unbeaten Javier Hernandez who was signed from Manchester City just months prior. But this Argentini coach faces an uphill struggle as Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay team are two points ahead in South American qualifying group play-off.
There has been plenty of controversies surrounding this match, with allegations that referees will favor Argentina. This has become an ongoing worry for Brazil and could significantly alter the outcome. While both teams boast attacking potential, their last three meetings ended scoreless draws; an unfamiliar atmosphere at Maracana may stymie host nation Brazilian attack and potentially turn it off completely. Regardless, neither fanbase should miss this match as this eventful match should live long in memory!
Brazil vs Argentina Predictions
Brazil-Argentina clashes are some of the fiercest in international football. Dubbed as The Battle of the Americas by many observers, many consider this rivalry the cornerstone of modern sport. Since early in the 20th century, their clash has been marked by many high profile incidents; both teams even had periods when they refused to face each other!
Argentina will look to rebound after suffering an unexpected 2-0 defeat against Uruguay at home during their World Cup qualifier last month, which caused them to drop from first position and drop out of top spot in qualifying. A win would help put Argentina back on track in front of their home fans and get them back into contention for qualification.
La Albiceleste remain unbeaten in their World Cup qualifier campaign, but their three consecutive winless performances may cause concerns for manager Lionel Scaloni. Without key players like Vinicius Junior, Marcelo, and Neymar available, Scaloni may need to reconstitute his squad.
As Brazil have conceded only two goals in their previous three meetings, it seems likely that they will adopt a more defensive stance to limit Brazil’s attacking threat and avoid another straight loss. Therefore, both teams seem likely to settle for a draw as an acceptable result in this clash.
Opta’s supercomputer predicts that Brazil are favourites to prevail in this match-up, having won 37.1% of simulations prior to kick-off. They must overcome several key player absences, and a victory would provide interim manager Fernando Diniz with an enormous confidence boost in his first home game of the season. To know more about this and want to update yourself time to time just follow us: https://sportsbyte.co.uk/