Brazil vs Argentina, 2016 World Cup Qualifying: Team News, Preview, Predictions

There are very few international matches who are more important than club games. World Cup Finals and semifinals are in the list, but when it comes to Brazil and Argentina, there might not be any bigger football match than this one.

These two nations have produced some of the best talent we have ever seen in the history of the sport: Pelé, Maradona, Messi, Zico, Di Stéfano, Romário, Ronaldo, and so many more. They have won a combined seven World Cups and their matches have always provided amazing performances and hard-fought victories for both sides.

On Wednesday night, they clash again at one of the biggest stadiums in Brazil: the Mineirão. The last time Brazil played there, they lost 7-1 to Germany in the World Cup semifinal, the most shocking result in history.

Things are different now, though, and Brazil could erase the image from that loss with a big win against their biggest rivals. This will be very fun. Even for Manchester City fans, since there'll be a lot of Citizens on the pitch in this one. Cannot miss it.

Date/Time: Wednesday, November 10, 2016, 9:45pm local time, 6:45pm ET, 3:45pm PT (US), 11:45pm BST (UK), 12:45am CET (Europe), 5:15am IST (India, next day)

Venue: Estádio do Mineirão, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Referee: Júlio Bascugnán (CHI)

TV listings: beIN SPORTS (US, Canada), beIN SPORTS En Español (US, Canada - Spanish), Sony Six SD/HD (India), elsewhere

Online streaming: beIN SPORTS CONNECT (US & Canada), FuboTV (US & Canada - free trial + monthly subscription, click here to sign up), elsewhere

TEAM NEWS

Brazil: Four matches, four wins, from sixth place to first. Ever since Tite took over from Dunga, the Brazilian national team has shown flashes of the team that dominated football in the 20th century, when the Seleção was known for playing beautiful football and beating any team. Tite's team looks like that, and they will come into this match as favorites.

The collection of talents is amazing: Neymar, Dani Alves, Marcelo, Marquinhos, Philippe Coutinho, Douglas Costa, and two Manchester City players: Fernandinho and Gabriel Jesus. Dinho and Jesus will start tonight, and they will be key pieces of the team. Fernandinho has to defend some Lionel Messi guy nobody's ever heard of, and Jesus will look to continue his incredible start to his Brazil career. He's scored four goals in four games, and will look to score in his first Superclássico against a couple of future City teammates in Zabaleta and Otamendi. That'll be fun, right?

Argentina: Four games, one win, two draws, one loss, from first place to sixth. The immense contrast to Brazil's form is shocking, and it might be explained by the change in coaching: Edgardo Bauza is not one of the top managers in the country, and his poor tactics combined with the absence of Leo Messi in three of his four games in charge has contributed to a very bad run of results. The Albiceleste are out of the World Cup at the moment, and if they lose to Brazil, things will be even tougher.

Thankfully for Bauza, Messi returns, and with Sergio Agüero on the bench, Argentina have enough attacking power to trouble Brazil's tough defense. Zabaleta and Otamendi will mark Neymar and Gabriel Jesus, so that'll be fun as well.

POSSIBLE LINEUPS

PREDICTION

Brazil will take this one, and Gabriel Jesus will score. 3-1 for the Seleção.