International Friendlies Preview: France/Argentina & Spain/England
We get a brief break from club football this week, as there are several mouth-watering international matches taking place in the midweek. Today, Brazil and Italy square off in London, while on Wednesday, France and Argentina go at it in Marseille, and European champions Spain welcome England to Seville, with the latter two matches being previewed here.
France v. Argentina (Wednesday, February 11)
France are not quite the formidable force that they were only a few short years ago, and the best is yet to come from Argentina under Diego Maradona, who is in his second match in charge of the national team. So, it’s tough to say what we’re going to see in this showdown, but based on the sheer talent that will be on display, this one will hopefully not disappoint.
France has been disappointing in World Cup qualifiers, and their last match was a goalless draw in November against Uruguay, a good side in their own right but just a few notches below Argentina in talent. They’ll be bringing out the big guns, like Thierry Henry, Franck Ribery, and Karim Benzema, but that doesn’t guarantee anything.
Argentina has also been disappointing in World Cup qualifiers, but that was prior to Maradona’s installment as coach. His first match in charge, a 1-0 win over Scotland in November, didn’t include Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, but the man who’s undeniably the best player in the world right now will be taking center stage in Marseille. Of course, there’s a lot more to this team than Messi, just like there’s a lot more to Barcelona than Messi, including Henry, who’s having a fine season.
This is a match that could really be a classic if France coach Raymond Domenech can bring the best out of his bunch. Messi likely won’t play 90 minutes, but he only needs a few minutes and a few touches to make his mark, and I think he’ll play a significant role in this one. But the chance to prove that they still have something in the tank should spur France on, and don’t be surprised if they come out the victors in a match that should see at least a few goals.
Spain v. England (Wednesday, February 11)
England have been flourishing under manager Fabio Capello. Their first four qualifiers for World Cup 2010 have produced four wins, and there was also an impressive friendly victory over Germany in November.
Friendly or not, this is arguably the toughest test of Capello’s tenure, as the Three Lions face off against the reigning European champions, who haven’t seen any letup since their triumph at Euro 2008.
England will be missing the likes of Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney through injury, but Capello’s focus is less on stars and more on a complete team, which is why England have done so well under him thus far. The team that he’s bringing to Seville has a mix of experience (including David Beckham, who should get his 108th cap) and some relatively new faces, like West Ham striker Carlton Cole, Aston Villa midfielder James Milner, and Everton defender Phil Jagielka, who will be looking to translate impressive club performances to the international stage.
Spain will put out a quality side of their own though, which may or may not include Liverpool’s Fernando Torres, who Vicente del Bosque may not want to risk at the sake of angering Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez. But England will still have to contend with David Villa and Xavi, so their back four will certainly have their hands full and then some.
Neither Capello nor del Bosque will want to risk injuries in this one, so that might take a little of the shine off of this one, but we should be treated to a good match nonetheless. No surprise that Spain are the favorite here, but the odds (+220) of a draw are too good to pass up, and I think England will do at least that, even without Gerrard and Rooney.
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