Lionel Messi makes his Argentina return after a three-month ban against Brazil in the Superclasico de las Americas in Riyadh on Friday.
The Barcelona forward has not featured for the Albiceleste since he was sent off in the third-place game against Chila at the Copa America in early July.
After his team’s 2-1 win, the Argentina captain made some controversial comments in which he accused Conmebol of corruption following some questionable refereeing decisions in the teams’ semi-final loss to Brazil.
Having served his ban, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner returns for the friendly in Saudi Arabia and is expected to start in a strong side.
Tottenham pair Giovani lo Celso and Juan Foyth also start for Argentina with Lautaro Martinez preferred up top.
For Brazil, Neymar is still out with a knock picked up against Nigeria last month and the Paris Saint-Germain forward’s absence leaves room for an all-Premier League front three of Gabriel Jesus, Roberto Firmino and Willian.
Jesus is available again after a two-month ban for his red card and antics in the Copa America final, when he protested to the referee and pushed the VAR monitor as he left the pitch.
Brazil XI: Alisson, Danilo, Militao, Silva, Sandro, Casemiro, Arthur, Lucas Paqueta, Jesus, Firmino, Willian
Argentina predicted XI: Andrada; Foyth, Pezzella, Otamendi, Tagliafico; De Paul, Paredes, Lo Celso; Ocampos, Lautaro Martínez, Messi.
Predict the result in our poll above.
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