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The game's biggest superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo take the field tonight at the same time in the latest round of Internationals, in what promises to be a mouthwatering treat for football fans everywhere.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal is set to take on Ukraine tonight at 1:15 AM in Lisbon as part of Matchday 1 in Group B of the 2020 Euro Qualification campaign. Lionel Messi's Argentina meanwhile faces off against fellow South Americans Venezuela at 1:30 AM tonight in an International friendly in Madrid.
Portugal and CR7 begin the campaign to defend their Euro Title
Defending European champions Portugal begin their title defence in Group B of the Qualification campaign. Ranked 6th in the World as per the latest FIFA Rankings, A Seleção das Quinas have been drawn into a tough group that includes Ukraine (FIFA Rank 30) featuring Manchester City's Oleksandr Zinchenko and Schalke's Yevhem Konoplyanka as well as a resurgent Serbia (FIFA Rank 31) headlined by Manchester United's Nemanja Matic and Ajax's UCL sensation Dusan Tadic.
Portugal are firm favourites to make it out of the group in pole position and come into the qualifiers with some in form players other than their captain Fantastic Cristiano Ronaldo. Manchester City's Bernardo Silva is having a terrific season and Wolverhampton Wanderer's Portuguese trio of Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho and DIogo Jota are also in fine nick.
Ronaldo as usual is firing on all cylinders, having scored a sensational hat-trick against Atletico Madrid on 13th March to single-handedly haul Juventus into the UCL Quarterfinals. The Portugues hitman has netted 24 goals in all competitions this season with Juventus, second only to Fabio Quagliarella in the Italian Seria A Goalscoring charts. The might of the Portuguese attack is likely to prove too much for the Ukrainian in the Group B opener
Messi returns to rejuvenate Argentina
Lionel Messi is set to take the field against Venezuela today, making his first appearance for Argentina after the 2018 FIFA World cup debacle. Manager Jorge Sampaoli stepped down after the World Cup disaster and was replaced with former Lazio wingback Lionel Scaloni who has brought a lot of young talent into the Argentinian setup.
After receiving harsh criticism from the press and the fans, Messi had refused to play for Argentina till now but Scaloni has pulled a massive coup by convincing the Barcelona magician to return to the La Albiceleste fold, as they prepare to mount a title challenge for the 2019 Copa America. Scaloni has picked a dynamic young squad for the international break, with Juventus' striker Paulo Dybala, PSG's new acquisition Leonardo Parades along with EPL sensations Roberto Pereyra (Watford) and Manuel Lanzini (West Ham United) the star names in the roster.
PSG superstar Angel Di Maria has pulled out of the squad due to a muscle injury while Manchester City spearhead Sergio Aguero is out of favour with Scaloni and has not made the squad. Argentina sit at No.11 in the FIFA Ranking and they should make short work of Venezuela (FIFA Rank 32), whose only star name is Newcastle United striker Solomon Rondon
