Called the “Anvisa Classic”, the duel between Brazil and Argentina for the South American qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup finally has a date. FIFA has decided that the match, which was suspended on 5 September last year, will take place on 22 September. It is yet to choose the time and venue of the match, who will be in charge of the CBF.
Colin Smith, FIFA’s Head of Competitions and Events, informed the CBF and AFA by email of the date chosen for the Classic. The football governing body warned that the CBF has until 22 June to decide in which stadium the game will be held. Contacted by Estadio, the CBF said it had received documents from FIFA today and would “discuss the next steps internally”.
In August last year, five minutes of that match were played at the Neo Quimica Arena in So Paulo. But there is nothing that compels the CBF to keep the Corinthians Stadium as a duel stage.
The match, valid for the sixth round of the qualifiers, was interrupted five minutes into the first half by representatives of the Health Monitoring Agency (ENVISA), due to the entry of four Argentine players playing in the United Kingdom into the country. . Disrespected Brazil’s health rules against Kovid-19.
The four Argentine national team players involved in the controversy, Emiliano Buendia, Emiliano Martínez, Giovanni Lo Celso and Cristian Romero, were suspended for two matches for not following FIFA’s International Return to Football Protocol.
The game is of little importance in relation to the leaderboard, as the Brazilian team has the best campaign in history in this format of the qualifiers, with 45 points, and cannot be reached by Argentina, which is six points short. Both ended the qualifying tournament undefeated.
However, the match has relevance for the game factor in order to complete the qualifying table and also because it is one of the greatest classics of world football. In the absence of games against European rivals, Argentina is seen as the strongest opponent for the Brazilians before the Cup.
Brazil and Argentina will play once again before facing each other in September. The rivals played a friendly in Australia on 11 June. Tite’s team also has friendly matches against South Korea and Japan in June and Mexico in September.
The selection will have to present itself in preparation for the World Cup to be held in Qatar on 14 November. The first training session will take place in Europe. Thereafter the delegation left for Doha. The World Cup debut will be against Serbia on 24 November.
