Updates on the fitness of Lionel Messi and Neymar have been provided on Monday evening, ahead of the highly-anticipated showdown between Argentina and Brazil.
Superclasico clash
South American football’s two footballing giants are of course set to renew rivalries in 24 hours’ time.
In a top-of-the-table clash in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying, Argentina will play host to Brazil, aiming to join the Selecao at next year’s Qatar showpiece.
Tite’s men currently sit pretty on 34 points, having secured eleven wins and a draw from their twelve fixtures to date.
Argentina, though, have too looked thoroughly impressive of late, with a 1-0 downing of Uruguay last time out having seen the Albiceleste make it 26 games unbeaten across all competitions.
A competitive, quality-filled affair is therefore widely predicted at the Estadio San Juan late on Tuesday night.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi (R) and Brazil’s Neymar hug each other after the Conmebol 2021 Copa America football tournament final match at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 10, 2021. (Photo by MAURO PIMENTEL / AFP) (Photo by MAURO PIMENTEL/AFP via Getty Images)
Leo in/Ney out
Of course, the two star names whom many of a neutral persuasion will be tuning in for in 24 hours’ time come in the form of Lionel Messi and Neymar.
Close friends and now club teammates at Paris Saint-Germain once more, Messi and Neymar remain two of the best in world football, with any occasion on which the pair go head-to-head guaranteed to draw a crowd.
It will therefore no doubt come as a blow to hear that, on Monday, one of the two superstars appears to have been ruled out of proceedings.
As per the reliable Globo, Neymar will play no part in San Juan owing to a thigh issue.
Messi, on the other hand, after only being fit enough to emerge from the bench versus Uruguay, is expected to feature from the off against Brazil:
Lionel Messi is fit again and will start their World Cup qualifier at home to Brazil on Tuesday but Neymar will miss out after feeling pain in his thigh, the teams announced.
😥😥😥 pic.twitter.com/Z6609Nq8C8
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) November 15, 2021
Revealed: The chances of Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal facing Italy in World Cup playoffs
Emile Smith Rowe sends message to Tammy Abraham after equalling Arsenal legend in San Marino rout
