Portugal vs. Argentina: Key Issues That Will Shape International Friendly
International friendlies are not the most popular fixtures on the football calendar. Club coaches rage against the removal of top players in the middle of the season, while supporters sometimes forget that the matches are taking place at all.
But for both Argentina and Portugal, Tuesday's meeting in Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium is key for their development. Each team is adapting to life under a new coach, with the Albiceleste looking to find form ahead of the imminent Copa America and Portugal keen to put a 2014 that has yielded few positive moments behind them.
Add to that an always interesting clash between the two nations' standard-bearers, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, and there are plenty of reasons to keep an eye on events in Manchester this week.
4. Finding Argentina's Best Strike Force
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Wednesday's clash against Croatia finally ended Carlos Tevez's international exile. The Juventus and Argentina fan favourite jumped off the bench in the second half, seeing out the final minutes of what was eventually a comfortable 2-1 victory for the Albiceleste.
Alongside Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain, Tevez makes up a quartet of world-class stars hopeful of occupying a place up front. These friendlies will be key in deciding who earns Gerardo Martino's approval and takes one of two starting roles.
Messi and Higuain are likely to start against Portugal, but do not be surprised if all four goalscorers feature at Old Trafford at some point, as Argentina continue to fine-tune their front line.
3. A Chance to Impress Ahead of Copa America
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After seeing off the challenge of Croatia at Upton Park, Argentina coach Gerardo Martino is likely to make a handful of changes for the Old Trafford match. According to Telam (in Spanish), up to six modifications are likely for the second leg of the Albiceleste's tour of England.
Facundo Roncaglia, Martin Demichelis and Nicolas Otamendi are likely to enter in defence, while the midfield could see Lazio's Lucas Biglia and Juventus talent Roberto Pereyra feature alongside the secure presence of Javier Mascherano.
Martino is determined to find his best XI ahead of next year's Copa America and is not afraid to experiment in order to strike the right balance. The Portugal game will give the Albiceleste hopefuls a great chance to assert themselves and try to win a place in the team for the tournament, which will be hosted in Chile.
2. Can Portugal Shake off Indifferent Form?
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It is no secret that things are not going right on the pitch for the Lusitanians at present. A pitiful World Cup campaign ended at the group stage, and they have not exactly set the world on fire so far during their Euro 2016 qualifiers.
A 1-0 defeat to lowly Albania spelled the end for Paulo Bento, and Fernando Santos has been charged with picking up the pieces. All signs suggest that it will not be easy, and only a solitary Cristiano Ronaldo goal helped Portugal squeeze past Armenia in their latest qualifying test.
Argentina represent a massive challenge for the team, who need to be competitive against the world's elite if they wish to make a splash at major tournaments.
1. A Messi-Ronaldo Matchup
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La Liga fans are accustomed to seeing forward titans Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo face off for their respective clubs. Clashes between the two at international level, on the other hand, are somewhat rarer. But on Tuesday, Old Trafford will play host to the latest edition of the stars' rivalry, and it will be a fascinating encounter.
Neither player was at their best during Madrid's 3-1 Clasico win earlier this season, and it remains to be seen if the claims in author Guillem Balague's book Messi, reported by the Telegraph, that the Portuguese forward is less than flattering about his rival will add another dimension to the contest.
