Date and Time: 28th January 2022 @5:45 AM
Venue: Estadio Zorros del Dessierto
Chile vs Argentina where to watch?
India: Sony Sports Network
Chile vs Argentina Team News:
Chile:
As for Chile, since crucial midfielder Vidal is banned, Charles Aranguiz, Erick Pulgar, and Claudio Baeza are the three players most likely to start in the centre of the pitch for the South Americans. Ben Brereton Diaz of Blackburn Rovers, who has scored 20 goals for the Championship club this season, will be vying for his 10th international appearance in attack alongside Alexis Sanchez and Eduardo Vargas, who have a combined total of 248 international caps between them.
Gary Medel and Guillermo Maripan are likely to start at centre back on Friday, sandwiched between full-backs Mauricio Isla and Eugenio Mena, should Lasarte want to go back to a four-man defence on Saturday against Granada.
Argentina:
Because Messi has just recently recovered from a bout of coronavirus, the Argentine Football Association has reached an arrangement with Paris Saint-Germain for the striker to stay in France. Cristian Romero of Tottenham Hotspur and Joaquin Correa of Inter Milan are also out due to hamstring injuries, which they are still recovering from.
Given that both Messi and Correa are not included in Scaloni’s 27-man squad, Manchester City transfer target Julian Alvarez may be given his first start for the national team, with Lautaro Martinez and Angel Di Maria also being considered as possible candidates to form a three-man attacking unit.
The likes of Guido Rodriguez, Alexis Mac Allister, and Emiliano Buendia – the latter of whom has yet to receive his first international cap – will all be hoping to force their way into the starting XI. Midfielders Rodrigo De Paul, Giovani Lo Celso, and Leandro Paredes all started against Brazil last time out and the trio could retain their places.
Chile vs Argentina Probable Playing XI:
Chile possible starting lineup:
Bravo; Isla, Medel, Maripan, Mena; Baeza, Aranguiz, Pulgar; Eduardo Vargas, Brereton Diaz, Alexis Sanchez
Argentina possible starting lineup:
Emi Martinez; Molina, Pezzella, Nicolas Otamendi, Acuna; Lo Celso, Parades, De Paul; Alvarez, L. Martinez, Di Maria
Chile vs Argentina Betting Predictions:
Match Betting: Chile win (3.00)
Draw (3.00)
Argentina Win (2.50)
The One-Liner Explainer:
Chile will be under intense pressure to capture all three points on Friday, while Argentina will be content to maintain their perfect record after qualifying for the World Cup earlier this year. Despite the absence of Lionel Messi, the visitors have enough talent in their squad to claim a narrow victory in Calama.
