Mascherano and Messi set to face Uruguay in Copa America

Javier Mascherano and Leo Messi are preparing for Argentina’s second game in the group stage of the Copa America in Chile. And this is no ordinary game for Tata Martino and his team for they are up against the defending champions and historic rivals Uruguay in game where they will have to make amends for slipping up against Paraguay in their opening fixture. Agüero and Messi (from the penalty spot) looked to have put their side on course for three points, but Paraguay came back with two second half goals, with Barrios equalising in the very last minute.

Plenty of questions are being asked in the Argentinian press after the World Cup finalists failed to hang on to that lead, and now is the time to silence the critics against a side that beat guest nation Jamaica 1-0 in their opening match playing practical, if not particularly spectacular, football. The Clásico del Río de la Plata, between the two teams that have won the South American title the most times, is always a showpiece occasion, and it gets going at 8.30pm (local time) in La Serena, Chile, which is an early Wednesday kick off of 1.30am CET in Western Europe. Group rivals Jamaica and Paraguay meet two and half hours earlier.