Messi has served his three-month suspension for accusing CONMEBOL of corrupt practices and now has another chance to put one over on the Selecao.
During the 2019 Copa America saw, Messi who is usually level headed blew his top and inferred that the referee was biased against his team and favoured the eventual winners Brazil. This earned him a suspension from international matches for three months.
It's been three months since that incidence happened and he is back – with his first game against none other than the Selecao itself.
The Barcelona No.10 lost his cool like never before after July's semi-final loss to Brazil,and Messi was angered by Roddy Zambrano's handling of the game in Belo Horizonte.
“The CONMEBOL people are going to have to do something. They were constantly giving stupid things: handballs, nonsense penalties and here they didn't look at VAR,” Messi fumed after the final whistle as Brazil celebrated.
“We had two clear penalties that weren't given... the referee wasn't fair.”
During that match, Zambrano could have taken a second look at the passage but instead he turned a deaf ear to the Messi's complaints.
Truly this might be a return of Messi and he may just fancy his chances of getting revenge on the pitch.
As fate would have it, he returns just in time for a rematch with Brazil, on November 15 which is today. I'm looking forward to this clash of the Titans.
I still have doubts, particularly in goal and in the defence, but the return of Messi and Sergio Aguero only bolsters their team.
if they can reproduce the form shown so far since that angry evening in Belo Horizonte, this time it might be Brazil who end the game feeling frustrated I'm sure
Hopefully the likes of Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo De Paul, Lautaro Martinez and German Pezzella may now be undisputed starters in Scaloni's line-up, which looks far healthier and more settled than A few months ago.
Hopefully the likes of Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo De Paul, Lautaro Martinez and German Pezzella may now be undisputed starters in Scaloni's line-up, which looks far healthier and more settled than A few months ago
This little phenomenon Messi will be the centre of attention, as he always is when he sets foot on a football pitch.
Messi will be the centre of attention, as he always is when he sets foot on a football pitch.