The clash of Brazil and Argentina has always fueled fierce rivalry between both countries, dating back to their first official meeting in 1914. Now, these two great rivals are set to meet again for the first time in two years in Rio de Janeiro.
Brazil is currently not in their strongest form, especially with the injuries of Neymar and Vinicius Jr. However, Marquinhos, the Brazilian captain and former Lionel Messi teammate at PSG, has revealed that there is a masterplan in place to bring Argentina to their knees in their current World Cup qualifier campaign.
Marquinhos talks about stopping Lionel Messi
As the international break unfolds, anticipation and tension grows for the upcoming match between Argentina and Brazil. In the lead-up to the game, former PSG teammate and rival of Lionel Messi, Marquinhos has suggested a strategy to limit the Argentine veteran’s influence. Both Lionel Messi and Marquinhos trained together severally at PSG, hence, he may have some tricks off his sleeves indeed.
The rival player emphasized Messi’s crucial role as the main contributor to Argentina’s functionality on the pitch. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi and his teammates are eager to break their streak of disappointments against the Brazilians, a trend that has persisted since the year 2000.
After a disappointing defeat against Uruguay, Argentina will now be taking the World Cup qualifier journey at Rio de Janeiro to face Brazil. While both teams prepare for this momentous encounter. Ahead of their clash, Marquinhos, the Brazil captain has revealed, “Messi is a genius and a special player, and despite his age he will always do great things. As a friend and colleague, I enjoyed him very much in Paris and developed with him in all aspects.”
The defensive anchor added, “Tomorrow, unfortunately, Messi will be an opponent, and I spoke with my colleagues not to stop him because that would not be the right word, but to limit his participation in the game.”
He further concluded in his pre-game remark that his team should be wary of Lionel Messi, seeing that he has witnessed severely what the Argentine World Cup winner can do.
Lionel Messi and Marquinhos performance together at PSG
Marquinhos was PSG’s captain when Lionel Messi was at the club. He was a true leader to mega stars like Neymar Jr. and Kylian Mbappe too, before the former departed the club to Saudi Arabia.
Marquinhos once spoke about Messi joining PSG, saying, “We have a very good atmosphere in the team, even if we sometimes have different opinions. So far we have gotten everything sorted out, whether it went well or badly. There are great personalities at every top club.”
“We get along better and better on the pitch. Of course we initially had to find the position that suits everyone best, most recently with Leo. But you can see him highly motivated every day, whether in training or during a games.”
Lionel Messi experienced a gradual adaptation to life at PSG following his transfer from Barcelona in 2021. However, he had thrived under the management of Christophe Galtier, culminating in the triumph of the World Cup at the end of 2022. In his 75 appearances for PSG, Messi showcased his goal-scoring prowess with 32 goals and contributed significantly with 30 assists.
Despite facing opposition and challenges at the club, Messi’s time in France has been marked by the acquisition of various silverwares, adding to his illustrious career.
Marquinhos on the other hand has been at the club much longer. He has been at the club since the 2014-15 season, and he’s risen to be a great leader for the club, recording more than 200 appearances for the club. As a defender, he has had his fair share of goalscoring record, scoring roughly 32 goals for the club.
Who do you think will triumph in the Superclasico? Do you believe Marquinhos and Co will be able to stop Lionel Messi? Share with us below.
