Argentina Brazil set to face off in fascinating battle

Much like Messi, Tevez, also injured his left knee and is in serious doubt to play against the Brazilians in Buenos Aires.

“Argentina haven’t won a game yet so they have an extra motivation to beat Brazil”, Kaka said.

But they will have to do so without several injury victims, including captain Lionel Messi. Never in the history of the South American qualifiers, even so early in the campaign, have they been this low. These two last locked horns in a friendly back in October 2014 with Brazil winning 2-0 in Beijing.

Argentina have just one point from games against Ecuador and Paraguay and need a win, should they ever want to make it to Russian Federation.

Despite being short of the likes of Messi, Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez, Martino insisted that Argentina could still prevail at home to Dunga’s side.

“Playing away to Argentina is never an easy game”.

And Martino’s troubles have worsened as he admitted Javier Pastore is unlikely to feature against Brazil after suffering from conjunctivitis. Chile is the Copa America champion for the first time, a tough, well-drilled side that has lost its sense of inferiority. Not to mention, that Paris St-Germain’s Ezequiel Lavezzi and Angel Di Maria, are both healthy, available, and expected to play.

The former AC Milan and Real Madrid playmaker’s importance to Brazil has waned over recent years, but he is hoping to earn a place in Dunga’s starting XI at Estadio Monumental.

But he has Neymar, who returns after completing a four-match suspension picked up in the Copa America. The 23-year-old has scored 10 goals in his last seven games for Barca, and crowned last Sunday’s 3-0 win over Villarreal by completing a brace with a stunning individual strike.

A similar Yibada report said that it is predicted Brazil will in over Argentina in a 3-2 victory.

Midfielders: Luiz Gustavo (Wolfsburg), Fernandinho (Man City), Elias (Corinthians), Renato Augusto (Corinthians), Oscar (Chelsea), Lucas Lima (Santos), Willian (Chelsea), Kaka (Orlando City), Douglas Costa (Bayern Munich).

Director Robert Fernandez is confident that Neymar will put pen-to-paper on a new deal extension at Barcelona in the near future. I’m going for another Brazil win at 2/1.