Argentina and Spain On Common Ground in Madrid

Argentina and Diego Maradona will test themselves against European Champions Spain on Saturday. The game is officially an away match, but many of Argentina’s best players will feel at home in the Vicente Calderon.

Sergio “Kun” Aguero and Maxi Rodriguez of Argentina will be the only two Atletico Madrid players to take part in the match as Vicente del Bosque has not included any Rojiblancos in his squad.

Gonzalo Higuain, of uptown Real Madrid, was on target at the Vicente Calderon in el Derbi Madrileño on Saturday.

A host of other players in Argentina’s squad ply their trade in Spain, and should feel almost no intimidation from the crowd.

The best player in La Liga, so awarded by Marca as the Trofeo Alfredo di Stéfano, was announced yesterday and Lionel Messi picked up the honor.

Di Stefano and Maradona were both on hand to give the trophy to Messi, but to also show the parallels between Argentine and Spanish football.

Di Stéfano is arguably the greatest idol in the history of Real Madrid having led them to five European Cups as a player, but the Saeta Rubia (Blond Arrow) is actually Argentine.

Although originally a reserve at River Plate and the club’s famous frontline called La Maquina, Alfredo became a star in 1947 winning the Argentine Championship with River, and the Copa America with Argentina. After a player’s strike in Argentina forced Di Stefano to Colombia, he eventually moved to Real Madrid where he assumed his legendary status winning the Pichichi Trophy as the Spanish League’s top scorer five times five times in six from 1954 to 1959. Sadly for Don Alfredo, Argentina refused to play in the 1950 and 1954 World Cups, robbing him of a chance to play on the game’s biggest stage.

Di Stefano’s move to Madrid could be seen as one of the key points in the Argentine influence on Spanish football, and vice versa.

Mario Kempes, the Golden Boot winner from the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, won the Pichichi Trophy twice in a row in 1977 and 1978 while playing for Valencia.

Argentina coach Diego Maradona joined Barcelona from Boca Juniors in 1982 for a world record transfer fee of £5m. Although the better part of El Diez’s time at Barcelona was spent suffering from hepatitis and later a career threatening broken leg following a reckless tackle from Andoni Goikoetxea, his proficiency in front of goal never left scoring 38 times in 58 games.

Since Maradona, the likes of Diego Simeone, Fernando Redondo, Roberto Ayala, Pablo Aimar, and many more have become heroes at various Spanish clubs while also contributing to the Argentine National Team.

When Argentina won the World Cup in 1978, Kempes was the only Spanish based player, but now seven of the twenty players called by Maradona play in Spain’s top flight.

For all the great Argentine players to grace the Spanish game to give it a South American feel, Argentine’s playing in Spain have given the National Team an equally European style.

At times during qualification, the abundance of European based players made Argentina feel uncomfortable in the more physical style of the CONMEBOL qualifiers. Towards the end of qualification, Maradona turned to more home based player and Argentine ground out two results against Peru and Uruguay.

Now that a spot in South Africa has been ensured, Maradona has turned to an entirely European based side to face the Spanish. The pressure of qualification is gone, as are the prospects of altitude, raucous fans, and historic rivalries that each round of South American matches produces.

Argentina’s stars will have the familiarity of players they face throughout the league season, or in training. Maradona will hope the lack of hysteria and pressure will allow Argentina to play their best in many months.

Maradona will call upon Messi and Higuain to lead his attack, but Sergio Aguero, who has been in great form of late despite being bothered by a groin problem, is likely to feature in the second half.

Maxi Rodriquez, who scored four goals Tuesday in a Copa del Rey clash, will play wide on the right, with Deigo Perotti of Sevilla acting as his understudy.

On the left, the in-demand Angel Di Maria will be given another chance to impress the many big clubs in search of signature. Di Maria, an Under 20 World Cup winner in 2007 and an Olympic Gold Medalist in 2008, has been fantastic for Benfica helping them reach the summit of the Portuguese League.

In midfield, Maradona looks likely to play captain Javier Macherano alongside Inter stalwart Esteban Cambiasso to try and shut down Spain’s Xavi and Andres Iniesta.

In defense, Cristian Andsaldi of Rubin Kazan will be given his first appearance. At left back after helping the Russian club stifle Barcelona in the Champions League.

Regardless of the outcome, both countries will learn a lot about their prospects of winning the World Cup next summer. Spain will be more than ready to deal with the well known Higuain and Messi, but the outsider Di Maria could be the difference maker.