25-03-2025
Argentina vs Brazil: When, How to Watch & Score Prediction
Argentina and Brazil go head-to-head on Tuesday night in Buenos Aires, with both teams closing in on a spot at the 2026 World Cup.
Kick-off is set for today at midnight Moroccan time (GMT), and fans can catch the action live on BeIN Sports Arabic, BeIN Sports English, M+ Liga de Campeones, and L'Équipe.
Argentina lead the table by six points off second-placed Ecuador, while Brazil sit third and seven points adrift from top of the table after a rocky campaign. But with five games unbeaten, the Samba are back in business.
Brazil's Raphinha has turned up the heat. The Barcelona winger has vowed to smash Argentina both on and off the pitch. 'We'll beat them up… Absolutely! Beat them up! On the pitch and off the pitch if we have to,' Raphinha declared in an interview with Brazilian legend Romario. The in-form star, who scored in Brazil's win over Colombia, is brimming with confidence. 'For sure, I'm going to [score a goal against Argentina]. I'm going in with everything I've got…'
But history favours Argentina. The reigning world champions have not lost to Brazil at home since 2009. Manager Lionel Scaloni, however, has opted for a more diplomatic approach, playing down the rivalry. 'Warriors on the pitch, good friends off of it,' Scaloni said in Monday's press conference.
'I remember the image of Leo (Messi) with Neymar after the Copa America final on the steps of the Maracana; that's the image we have to keep. The best in the world and probably the second best together, being friends. That's the image we need. It's a football match that we both want to win. We all have a Brazilian friend. I know a lot of them. It shouldn't go beyond that. We don't have to give it much more thought.'
Argentina will have to make do without Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, and Paulo Dybala, all sidelined with injuries. There is hope that midfield warrior Rodrigo De Paul will be fit in time. Defensive rock Nicolas Otamendi, who bagged the winner in the last meeting, will once again marshal the backline alongside Cristian Romero.
Brazil, meanwhile, are also missing some key figures: Neymar, Ederson, and Alisson are all out, while Wolves' Andre is set to slot into midfield next to Joelinton. Goalkeeper Bento will make just his third international start.
Predicted Lineups:
Argentina Martinez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico; De Paul, Mac Allister; Simeone, Fernandez, Almada; Alvarez.
Brazil: Bento; Vanderson, Marquinhos, Ortiz, Arana; Joelinton, Andre, Rodrygo, Raphinha, Vinicius; Pedro
Predicted Score:
Expect an ugly contest in Buenos Aires. There's an absence of superstar talent in both of these squads, but Argentina have been the best-performing nation on the planet since Scaloni took charge.
Argentina 2-2 Brazil Tags: ArgentinaBrazilMessiRaphinhaWorld Cup Qualifiers
