Rob Hughes told me yesterday that Maradona has been using this 4-4-2 team in practice matches:
Mariano Andujar (Catania); Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan), Nicolas Otamendi, Sebastian Dominguez (both Velez Sarsfield), Gabriel Heinze (Marseille); Maxi Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid), Javier Mascherano (Liverpool) Juan Sebastian Veron (Estudiantes) Jesus Datolo (Napoli) ; Lionel Messi (Barcelona) and Carlos Tevez (Manchester City).
In other words, not Kun Aguero, his twinkle-toed son-in-law, who partners Diego Forlan at Atletico.
But that could be disinformation, a wind-up, at attempt to deceive Brazil coach Dunga.
Otamendi, 21, is said to be “the new Roberto Ayala” while club partner Sebastian Dominguez is 29 and making his debut. Otamendi has played only twice for his country.
Argentina have switched the Brazil game from River Plate’s Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires to Rosario, where they have never lost a game. That stadium is the 40,000-capacity home of Newells Old Boys, Messi’s first club. He was born in Rosario and left at 13 when Barcelona moved his family to Spain and paid for the growth hormone treatment the lad needed.
The Argentinian FA would make more money at a big stadium but beating Brazil is always more important than money. Especially as Argentina need to finish in the top four and Maradona’s side has wobbled a couple of times.
Kick off is at 1.30 am on Sky Sports 1.
Rob says he will probably stay up to watch it. I’ll Sky+ it and watch on Sunday morning.
Like most football fans, I love Brazil, but I really hope Argentina qualify. It wouldn’t be a World Cup without them.
ENGLAND play a friendly against Slovenia tonight as a warm-up for the big one against Croatia. If they win Wednesday night’s game at Wembley they will qualify for the World Cup
Fabio Capello is so strict that he makes me laugh. Reminds me of George Graham, who made me laugh for the same reason. George grinned as he said, “I have a very good relationship with the players. They do what I say.”
Alfred Hitchcock would have approved. Hitchcock said, “Actors are cattle.” But his team never qualified for a World Cup.
Like George, Fabio keeps it simple because he doesn’t want to confuse his players. He says,” We didn’t speak about Croatia. Yesterday we had a meeting. We spoke about the game against Holland, we spoke about mistakes.”
England -Slovenia is on ITV1 at 5.30 pm