ARAB EMIRATES – ARGENTINA | Wednesday 4:30 pm
There is, as usual, great expectation surrounding Argentina, one of the main favourites to win this World Cup along with Brazil and reigning champions France. The Albiceleste arrive there on the wave of success in the last Copa America, the first title won by Leo Messi in the jersey of his selection. That victory meant a lot, because it almost dispelled a sort of ‘curse’. It had been a long time since the South American national team had won such an important trophy. And, for several insiders, it is nothing less than a viaticum to try and win again a World Cup that Argentina have not won since Diego Armando Maradona in 1986.
There is also expectation that this is likely to be Messi’s last World Cup, the last call to climb to the world crown, only narrowly missed in Brazil in 2014. Coach Lionel Scaloni’s selection has been drawn in a fairly challenging group with Mexico, Poland and Saudi Arabia. Argentina, who will make their debut against the Middle Eastern selection next Tuesday, arrive at the World Cup on the strength of a very long unbeaten streak dating back to 2019. It has won all four of its last matches, including the one with Italy (3-0) in the Conmebol-Uefa Cup of Champions at Wembley.
These days he is training in Abu Dhabi, where on Wednesday afternoon he will face the Emirates, coached, as it happens, by Argentine Rodolfo Arruabarrena. Scaloni will take the opportunity to assess the fitness of those players who have played little in the last period, including Dybala, Di Maria, Paredes and Nico Gonzalez.
Rodolfo Arruabarrena, UAE coach
The Prediction
Argentina have chosen a fairly soft test to better prepare for their World Cup opener with Saudi Arabia. The Albiceleste are likely to win by at least two goals without conceding any
Arab Emirates-Argentina line-up probables
- ARAB EMIRATES (4-4-2): Khasif; Al-Hashemi, Al Hammadi, Al-Ahbabi, Ibrahim; Salmeen, Rashid, Hamad, Ramadan; Canedo, Al-Maazmi.
- ARGENTINA (4-3-3): E. Martinez; Molina, Otamendi, Lisandro Martinez, Acuna; Guido Rodriguez, Paredes, Enzo Fernandez; Dybala, Lautaro Martinez, Di Maria.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 0-3
