Switzerland’s Xherdan Shaqiri (left) and Argentina’s Lionel Messi (right) in action during their respective team training sessions. (AFP, EPA)
Xherdan Shaqiri got all three goals for Switzerland as they beat Honduras in their last group game and Lionel Messi has scored four of Argentina’s six goals so far this World Cup, meaning today’s last-16 crunch in Corinthians Arena may come down to the form of just two men.
The 22-year-old Bayern Munich winger has been dubbed the Swiss Messi after inspiring Ottmar Hitzfeld’s side to qualification from Group E but knows he faces a tough test in Sao Paulo, coming up against the real thing.
Messi’s four goals helped Argentina top Group F and his last minute strike against Iran in their second group game prevented what would have been an embarrassing draw.
His pal and strike partner Sergio Agüero is ruled out and so Ezequiel Lavezzi comes in for coach Alejandro Sabella as he looks to replace the Manchester City striker and try to give his team greater control of midfield.
Argentina’s 4-3-3 has been criticised but the Paris Saint-Germain player’s greater work-rate could make Argentina tougher to beat.
“Lavezzi is an attacking wide player but he can defend as well,” said Sabella’s assistant Claudio Gugnali.
Swiss star Shaqiri said before the World Cup he would fast during Ramadan. The Muslim holy month started on Saturday and he is expected to observe the daylight fast in the build-up to, and on the day of, the last-16 match.
The game also represents and important opportunity for the ‘Alpine Messi’. The world will be watching and with the treble against Honduras expectations are high.
Liverpool have been linked with a 20.5 million dollar move for Shaqiri in the summer as they look to plan for next season’s Champions League campaign.
Bayern coach Pep Guardiola does not seem as convinced over the Shaqiri as he was over Messi when coach of Barcelona.
He has Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery in the same position and if the money is right after the World Cup, the former Basel youngster could move on.
Not that Guardiola completely dismisses Shaqiri either. He was in Buenos Aries last week at a seminar with former Barcelona coach Tata Martino and he is understood to have told his Argentine friends “watch out for Shaqiri in Sao Paulo”.
Messi was dubbed the ‘the flea’ when he came through at Barcelona. Shaqiri is also known as ‘the magic dwarf’. Only one will be left standing tall and in the quarter-finals come mid-afternoon local time today.
Factbox: Argentina v Switzerland
Where: The Corinthians area, Sao Paulo
Capacity: 62,601
Referee: Jonas Eriksson (SWE)
Probable teams:
Argentina: 1-Sergio Romero; 2-Ezequiel Garay, 4-Pablo Zabaleta, 16-Marcos Rojo, 17-Federico Fernandez; 5-Fernando Gago, 7-Angel Di Maria, 14-Javier Mascherano; 22-Ezequiel Lavezzi, 9-Gonzalo Higuain, 10-Lionel Messi
Switzerland: 1-Diego Benaglio; 2-Stephan Lichtsteiner, 13-Ricardo Rodriguez, 20-Johan Djourou, 22-Fabian Schaer; 8-Gokhan Inler, 10-Granit Xhaka, 23-Xherdan Shaqiri, 11-Valon Behrami; 18-Admir Mehmedi, 19-Josip Drmic
Key stats:
In the teams’ six meetings, Argentina have scored 14 goals to Switzerland’s three.
Both teams are among the cleanest so far in the World Cup. They each received just one yellow card in their opening three games.
Switzerland have not made the quarter-finals of the World Cup since 1954 when they hosted the tournament.
Argentina are one of just four teams to have won all three of their World Cup group games.
Previous meetings: The teams have faced each other six times, with Argentina winning four and two draws.
Last meeting: Feb. 29, 2012 - Switzerland 1 Argentina 3. Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick for Argentina.