Lionel Messi will play for Argentina when they face Brazil on Tuesday in World Cup qualifier while Neymar will miss out because of left thigh pains.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said Monday that Messi, who has been bothered by a knee injury, will play in San Juan in a match that could earn the team a spot in next year's World Cup.
Veteran winger Angel di Maria scored the only goal in the seventh minute with a powerful left-foot shot while Messi missed most of the match as he recovers from a left knee injury.
Brazil has 31 points and Argentina has 25 from 11 matches — their encounter in September was bizarrely suspended after seven minutes of play because of concerns from authorities over breaches of COVID-19 protocols.
Leaders Brazil easily defeated Uruguay 4-1 in their South American World Cup qualifying match while second-place Argentina beat Peru 1-0 a few hours earlier and are also close to clinching a direct qualifying berth.
Lionel Messi was among the scorers as Argentina beat rival Uruguay 3-0, hours after Brazil's run of consecutive wins in South American World Cup qualifying ended in a 0-0 with Colombia.
Messi had hit the crossbar with a free kick in the 31st minute with no shots on target from the famed PSG trio in shock defeat to Rennes.
Lionel Messi scored his first goal for Paris Saint-Germain during the Champions League game against Manchester City on Tuesday.
Lionel Messi is expected to be back in the attack against Manchester City in the Champions League as the Argentine shakes off a minor knee injury that sidelined him for two games.
Messi was taken off in the 75th minute of his home debut on Sunday, when PSG beat Lyon 2-1 in the league.
Messi looked angry at being taken off in the 75th minute in his home debut for Paris Saint-Germain while Icardi saved the day with a stoppage time winner.
Club Brugge defence as it must cope with Paris Saint-Germain's attacking armada of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.
Messi also became the top scorer in South American football history. The 34-year-old has netted 79 for Argentina, overtaking Brazil's Pelé's tally of 77.
World Cup qualifier between Brazil and Argentina was suspended after local health officials walked onto the pitch on Sunday in a bid to remove three players who didn’t comply with coronavirus restrictions.
The clash at Sao Paulo's Corinthians Arena later on Sunday comes just three days after Argentina beat Venezuela 3-1 in Caracas.
PSG were two goals up by the time Messi was introduced as a 66th-minute substitute for former Barcelona team-mate Neymar.
Lionel Messi could finally make his debut as Paris Saint-Germain visits modest Reims on Sunday.
Messi did not feature in the first three games of the Ligue 1 campaign after being given time to settle in the French capital and build up his fitness
While six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi is set for his eagerly awaited debut in Sunday’s French league game at Reims.
Messi hasn’t played since joining from Barcelona. He missed a month of training after leading Argentina to the Copa América title on July 10.
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