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Old enemies Brazil and Argentina meet in the Superclasico de las Americas in Rio de Janeiro in the early hours of Wednesday morning as both sides look to bounce back from surprising defeats last time out.
Argentina remain top of the World Cup qualifying table in South America but saw their winning streak ended by Uruguay, although they may fancy their chances against a Selecao outfit in uncharacteristically poor form.
Team news
Real Madrid pair Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo could lead the line for Brazil again in the absence of attacking stars such as Neymar and Richarlison, while Casemiro is another key absentee for Fernando Diniz’s side.
Argentina are without defenders Juan Foyth and Lisandro Martinez through injury and are set to field Nicolas Otamendi and Cristian Romero as a centre-back pairing, while a front three of Angel di Maria, Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez could be on the cards.
Stats
Both teams to score has not landed in any of Argentina’s last nine matches. Brazil have only scored three goals in their last four games.
None of the last seven meetings between these sides have seen both teams score. Brazil have taken just one point from their last three World Cup qualifiers.
After holding the lead for over 70 minutes, Brazil fell apart in the closing stages in Barranquilla, with that 2-1 loss to Colombia resigning them to successive regulation-time defeats for the first time since the 2014 World Cup.
The Selecao now sit a disappointing fifth in the South American World Cup qualifying group and, after scoring just three goals in their last four games, they could find it tough to break through an Argentina defence that faltered for the first time since their World Cup triumph last week.
La Albiceleste suffered a shock 2-0 loss at home to Uruguay, but prior to that they had won eight successive matches without conceding a goal and they could snatch the points in what is expected to be a tight affair in Rio de Janeiro.
The last seven Superclasico de las Americas have produced just nine goals in total and none of them saw both teams get on the scoresheet, with each side keeping four clean sheets apiece across this eight-year period and Argentina shutting the Selecao out in each of the last three.
The last time both teams scored in an Argentina match was in the World Cup final back in December and, with Brazil struggling going forward under interim manager Fernando Diniz, another clean sheet is predicted.
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