Brazil and Argentina, the two South American Superteams, are set to meet once again in an epic clash in light of the World Cup qualification, with both teams finding themselves in starkly contrasting situations – truly polar opposites. Argentina just lost its first match in a long streak, losing against Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay (0-2), a team that also handed Brazil a similar defeat with the same scoreline. Uruguay stands second in their group, with only Argentina scoring better, leading the group with two points more than Uruguay.
As for Brazil, Diniz’s tenure so far is looking rather grim. The samba rhythm has been lost in a long search for a lost identity — the famous ‘Jogo Bonito’. Following a disappointing campaign in the World Cup and crashing out in the penalties against Croatia, Diniz’s “Relationism” has been hailed as a more creative alternative to the European Positional Play. But with injuries (Neymar, Vinicius Jr), Brazil is losing out so far. Players seem rather confused, and suddenly, Brazil stands in 5th place in the South American group, only racking up 7 points (five less than Argentina, the group leader). Not winning, which sounds rather difficult, is vital for Brazil to not lag behind in the World Cup qualification, winless in the past three games (1D, 2L).
Brazil vs Argentina Main Match Info
- Date and Kickoff Time: 21.11.2023, 7:30 PM EDT
- Stadium: Maracanã
- Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Last match: Brazil – Argentina: 0-0 (16.11.2021, WC Qualifiers)
Brazil vs Argentina Prediction, Odds
- Pick: Argentina to Win
- Odds: +198 (Tonybet)
The Football Gods are visibly not on Brazil’s side. Not only have they been winless in the last three games, but there are other serious problems: Vinicius Jr, Richarlison, Ederson, Neymar Jr, and Casemiro are all injured. Fernando Diniz’s new style, dubbed ‘Relationism,’ advocates for footballers to overload areas and play closer to each other, allowing the game to ‘let it flow’ and aiming to create new relationships on the pitch. But with many players used to a more rigid Positional Play in Europe, it quickly becomes confusing to switch between commands from the club and the national team. The same cannot be said about Argentina, which recently suffered its first defeat in a very long time but still keeps Lionel Messi as a major weapon.
Brazil vs Argentina Betting Tip
- Pick: Lionel Messi to score
- Odds: +231 (Tonybet)
Lionel Messi is the obvious weapon, yet his recent limited playtime with Inter Miami, often due to ‘injuries’, has kept his current form somewhat enigmatic. This strategy of conserving his energy for Argentina, away from intense media scrutiny, could be a tactical advantage. Against a confused opponent, having Lionel Messi map out your weaknesses is probably the worst invitation. Contrary to Brazil, Argentina has all its starters fit (Montiel is missing, but that is not exactly a dramatic absence). With Casemiro being out, the midfield will become a major liability on the Brazilian side, and nobody more than Lionel Messi, as well as Enzo Fernández would rejoice.
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