Argentina takes on Uruguay in a mouth-watering CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier on Thursday at the Estadio Malvinas Argentinas in Argentina. Both sides are placed among the top four in the points table at the moment.
While Luis Suarez's Uruguay remain on top with 13 points from six games, Lionel Messi's Argentina stay third with 11 points from the same number of games. The match marks a great importance for football fans as it squares off two of the best footballers in the planet at the moment -- Suarez and Messi -- who are also FC Barcelona teammates.
Messi, who announced his international retirement after a bitter end to his side's Copa America 2016 campaign that saw La Albiceleste go down to Chile yet again in the final of the tournament, decided to make a return once again stating that he had taken the decision at the heat of the moment.
The participation of the FC Barcelona legend against Uruguay was in doubt after the La Liga champions announced that the 29-year-old had a sore left hamstring, but Argentina coach Edgardo Bauza has announced that the forward is fit to play.
"It's going to be an intense game and he [Messi] will be required," said Bauza ahead of the match. Argentina will be without star striker Sergio Aguero, but the likes of Angel Di Maria, Angel Correa and Paulo Dybala are fit to play.
Uruguay, meanwhile, faced Argentina's arch rivals Brazil in their second last fixture, which turned out to be a 2-2 draw. Suarez and Edinson Cavani had scored in the match.
Expected starting XI
Argentina: Romero; Mercado, Demichelis, Funes Mori, Rojo; Biglia, Mascherano, Banega; Messi, Dybala, Di Maria.
Uruguay: Muslera; Gimenez, Godin, Coates, A. Pereira; Arevalo, Sanchez, Rodriguez, Vecino; Cavani, Suarez.
Argentina vs Uruguay is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. EST (5 a.m. IST [Friday], 12:30 a.m. BST) on Sep. 1.
Where to watch live
India: TV: Sony ESPN, Sony ESPN HD. Live streaming: None.
UK: TV, Live streaming: None.
USA: TV: beIN Sports, Fubo TV. Live streaming: beIN Sports Connect.
Argentina: TV: TyC Sports. Live streaming: TyC Sports Play.
Uruguay: TV: VTV
