How to view the match between Brazil and Argentina in the South American World Cup qualifiers, with Brazil losing 0-1?

Argentina’s win against Brazil in the match highlights their defensive stability.

As one of the top teams in the South American World Cup qualifiers, Argentina could have easily dealt with this match.

Playing away against Brazil is certainly not easy, but without Neymar and Dini’s, as long as Argentina can stabilize their defense, Brazil will actually be easily thrown into disarray.

However, after suffering a controversial loss to Uruguay in the last match, Argentina is now burdened with the need to win, which adds more pressure to this game.

Especially before the game, the two teams engaged in intense confrontation in the stands.

In this game, Brazil, who needs to win more, lined up with four forwards: Gabriel Jesus, Lautaro Martínez, Rodrigo, and Rafaelle, arranged in a straight line from front to back, from left to right.

This shows that Dini’s, faced with performance pressure and the absence of key players, had exhausted all his options and could only seek victory through this relatively simple and aggressive approach. However, it can be anticipated that this approach will not be very effective.

Because Scaloni will not give him the space he desires. In this match, Argentina, playing away from home, was quite conservative in terms of their starting lineup. Scaloni removed one winger and placed another midfielder in the midfield line, clearly strengthening their control intent. And in the attacking phase, the compensatory method was the advancement of the full-backs:

Of course, this only appears occasionally because for most of this match, Brazil exerted pressure on Argentina.

Almost from the opening whistle, Brazil was pushing forward with all their might, pressuring Argentina from midfield to the goal during the off-ball phase. This kind of high-pressing intensity was also common:

Therefore, in the first half, both teams fiercely contested the midfield area. At halftime, Brazil committed 16 fouls and received three yellow cards.

However, the efficiency of such actions was quite worrying. Even if they forced Argentina into mistakes and launched attacks, the players with the ball and the runners had difficulty finding synergy.

What happened more frequently was the individual efforts on both sides of Brazil:

Brazil found it difficult to establish a connection between these two flanks, which would have put more defensive pressure on Argentina. After all, it is difficult to expect players like Rafinha, who lack both speed and accuracy in crosses, to find their teammates in the high-intensity match.

So, even though Argentina was physically strong and played aggressively, they still held their ground.

This is what we said before the match: as long as Argentina can stabilize their defense, Brazil will eventually become disoriented, and the overall situation is actually in Argentina’s hands.

They decide when to exert effort, and Brazil will be in danger when they do so.

And the decisive moment came in the second half.

Argentina needed a win to ease the mood after losing at home, and they also needed to regain the top spot with three points, so they needed to move forward, but not too aggressively.

Just like in the previous match against Uruguay, bringing on an additional forward in the second half proved futile.

Scaloni did not make a similar mistake in this match. There were no personnel adjustments at halftime, just a slight adjustment in the team’s formation to put pressure on Brazil’s midfield and backline.

Moving forward naturally reduced Brazil’s attacking difficulty, as space behind them gradually opened up. Brazil did create some relatively good attacks, but it can be seen that their attacking patterns were still simple and they failed to capitalize on their opportunities:

However, after Argentina pushed forward, they still created attacking opportunities and corner kicks from Acuña’s side:

In the end, it was through this corner kick that Argentina won the game:

Trailing in score, Denis, who had started with four forwards, had no room for further adjustments. All he could do was constantly change personnel and pile up forwards, trying to change the situation through fitness.

But this fell right into Scaloni’s rhythm. In the 66th minute, he replaced Acuña, who had heavy responsibilities in the back and forth, and in the 70th minute, Paredes came on. He did not completely retreat. Instead, when Di Maria was substituted, all the starting forwards were replaced.

The response was correct, and naturally, Brazil had little chance of changing the score. The game ended like this.

The absence of Neymar will make Brazil’s problems more apparent.

With Neymar, he occasionally exerts his strength and can use his individual ability to connect teammates in different positions in the core area. For example, in the World Cup game against Croatia, he almost scored a key goal that would have helped the team advance.

This is actually the remaining value of Neymar.

However, the reason why it is called “remaining” is that Neymar cannot score such goals in every game. His role in connecting teammates cannot be sustained for 90 minutes, especially with players like Rafinha on the right wing, can he threaten opponents when connected? The efficiency in the upcoming matches is still questionable.

You must know that this is the South American World Cup qualifiers, facing South American players who are generally physically agile and possess strong tackling abilities. When Neymar cannot provide an impact, how can the team maintain a balance between attack and defense?

This is the dilemma that Denis is facing.

Messi has also influenced Argentina for many years in the attacking midfield position until Scaloni firmly pushed him up front, using another forward in relay to solve the problem of Messi’s difficulty in breaking through the opponent’s defensive line when he wasn’t in the striker position.

With this arrangement, there are still eight players behind him, providing a basic framework for a balanced attack and defense.

But Brazil is still troubled by this problem. Neymar playing in the attacking midfield position naturally requires someone to pave the way for him. However, whether it is Tite or Denis, they tend to include two more wingers. When things go well, it can be very spectacular, but when things go wrong, there are only six defenders in the backline. What kind of midfield and defense can hold up under such circumstances?

Now without Neymar, Denis is still trying to catch up by using four forwards, but that will be a futile effort.

Currently, they have conceded seven goals in six matches, so the first problem they need to solve is their defense.

More exciting content can be found by following our WeChat official account “牧子的足球工地” (Muzi’s Soccer Construction Site).

Disappointing loss for Brazil and issues to address for the team.

After losing to Uruguay last time, didn’t Brazil achieve a collective orgasm? I didn’t expect Argentina to not give them face.

Before the start of this match, the fans of both sides started fighting, causing a long delay in the game. When the match finally started, the tension became even stronger. It felt like De Paulo was the ball himself, resulting in a fragmented and less exciting game.

In fact, this is a typical characteristic of matches involving Latin American teams. If you have watched the Copa America or Libertadores Cup, you would know that heated scenes are a common occurrence there, especially when it’s between Brazil and Argentina, the arch-rivals.

Due to the intense confrontation, it was difficult for tactics and techniques to come into play. Argentina had almost no opportunities in the first half, and Brazil’s chances were also limited. In the second half, Jesus’s dribble created a one-on-one opportunity for Martinelli, but his shot was saved by Martinez. Wasting opportunities comes at a cost, and Otamendi quickly scored a header to take three points for Argentina from their away game.

The defeat in this match was Brazil’s first loss at home in World Cup qualifiers in history. Previously, their record at home was an amazing 51 wins, 13 draws, and 0 losses. Argentina broke this invincible record.

In addition, after the 2021 Copa America final, this is the second time Argentina has defeated Brazil at the Maracana Stadium in an official match, making them the only team to do so. As long as they maintain their form, Argentina is still one of the top favorites for next year’s Copa America.

Brazil’s current problem is the lack of a superstar to fill in the void left by Neymar. Jesus, Martinelli, Rafinha, Rodrigo, Vinicius, Richarlison, and others can certainly start for top clubs, but they still lack that extra level of a superstar. Moreover, Brazil’s midfield and defense, especially the two full-back positions, are short-staffed, limiting the team’s tactical coordination and resulting in an average overall performance. They first drew against Venezuela at home in the World Cup qualifiers, followed by three consecutive defeats, dropping to sixth place in the standings. If it weren’t for the World Cup expansion, Brazil would have to fight for a spot in the World Cup.

Hopefully, Ancelotti can improve this issue after taking charge. Otherwise, with Brazil’s current state and performance, their ranking in next year’s Copa America would not surpass Scaloni’s Argentina or Bielsa’s Uruguay.

Argentina’s Displeasure with Brazil’s Security

Messi: We are the world champions, why should we be cowards? Watch your words!

Before the match, Argentina fans clashed with Brazilian security, and the security personnel attacked the Argentine fans. All Argentine players stepped forward to support their compatriots. Messi led the team directly back to the dressing room to express dissatisfaction with the Brazilian organizers.

After Argentina came out of the dressing room, Rodrigo said to Messi, “You are a coward.”

Messi responded aggressively, “We are the world champions, what reason do we have to be cowards?”

Messi talks about leaving the field before the match: We saw how the police were beating people, and we paid more attention to this than the game. We saw how they were beating people with batons like in the Liberation Cup. You think about your family, you think about those people who don’t know what’s happening. We paid more attention to this than the game. That’s why we left, to calm down.

In my opinion, the Argentine players, seeing their own fans travel all the way to Brazil to support them and end up being brutally attacked, still being able to play the game without any reaction, are the real cowards.

Brazil is in a terrible state now, with only 7 points from 6 matches in the World Cup qualifiers, ranking sixth. They used to be unable to even qualify for the World Cup. It’s the first time in their history that they have lost a home match in the World Cup qualifiers, and it’s to their arch-rivals Argentina.

Summary: Argentina’s core problem was exposed in their difficult victory over Brazil, as Messi’s injury limited their ability to move the ball forward effectively. On the other hand, Brazil played well and showed potential in their tactical approach. The referee’s decisions were generally fair, although there were some questionable calls towards the end.

First of all, let’s talk about the conclusion. Brazil played well in this match (regardless of tactics), while Argentina exposed their core problem.

1. Let’s start with Argentina.

Argentina secured a hard-fought victory away from home. In this match, Argentina exposed fundamental issues, not the lack of wide attacking options, height, or speed, but rather, what to do when Messi is not performing well.

In this game, Messi was not just in a regular bad state, but clearly injured.

Although Brazil’s physical approach was successful, it was far from the overwhelming force of Uruguay’s steel. However, Argentina struggled much more in this match compared to the previous one, mainly because Messi’s injury prevented him from taking risks and significantly reduced his time on the ball. Therefore, Argentina’s Copa America and World Cup-winning squad exposed a weakness that has been hidden in their ability, apart from Messi. Other players in the attacking midfielder position (whether they are actually number 8, 10, or 9.5) lack the ability to receive the ball with their back to the goal and move forward.

In my opinion, for a key playmaker in the front line, one crucial hidden factor in becoming a superstar is the ability to receive the ball with their back to the goal in the face of high-intensity defending and then either protect the ball, dribble, make a through pass, or use any other means to move the ball forward. This is what we call “dirty ball” ability.

The most extreme positive examples in this aspect are Zidane and Xavi. Zidane’s passing, stopping, and shooting were all top level, but his strong physique and soft touch allowed him to deliver the ball to his teammates in more comfortable positions in various extreme situations, making him a legendary attacking midfielder. On the other hand, Xavi was more balanced and relied on his elegant positioning to anticipate and beat opponents before receiving the ball, which is his famous skill of making turns. In contrast, Fabregas is a negative example. Aside from receiving the ball with his back to the goal, Fabregas can do everything. Wenger built a whole team around Fabregas, avoiding his weaknesses. But when he returned to Barcelona, where there was more pressure and narrower space, he couldn’t fully perform in the number 8 and 10 positions, only becoming a utility player.

Messi possesses the historical ability to receive the ball with his back to the goal and move it forward. This is one of the cornerstones that allows him to constantly attract attention and simultaneously organize the team and create opportunities for his teammates. However, apart from Mac Allister, none of the other Argentine players are proficient in this aspect (receiving with the back to the goal and moving forward, not referring to support play). Lo Celso can only demonstrate his organizational abilities under Messi’s wing, while Mac Allister still has a long way to go. Therefore, when Messi is unable to receive the ball due to injury, Argentina’s ground-based formation cannot be pushed forward, resulting in a crowded midfield and a complete breakdown of organization. The entire team becomes chaotic, and it is the strongest and most physical player, Paqueta, who shines. When Messi truly disappears, we find that the role players from the top five leagues a year ago, despite making much progress, have only become advanced role players. The true stars in the team are still Lautaro and Romero.

Fortunately, Brazil did not perform well either. Both teams were completely mediocre.

After taking the lead from a corner kick, Brazil made substitutions with Everton Ribeiro, Gabigol, and Vinicius Junior, but the situation remained unpleasant. In fact, I think it would be better to try keeping Enzo Perez in the midfield instead of substituting him, and let him use long passes for counterattacks alongside Casemiro. Angel di Maria has proven multiple times that he cannot be a leading figure; he can only be a supporting role. Facing Argentina’s united team pressing, penetrating from the middle and front field is not always the best choice. It would be better to give up midfield penetration and play more direct football, making up for the lack of organization with positioning.

In short, Argentina’s victory depended mainly on Otamendi’s aerial ability, not tactical superiority.

2. Praising Brazil despite the loss.

Although they lost, Brazil played very well in this match. I even feel that Brazil has found their only way out at this stage.

If we say that Brazil in 2021 still has potential stars in every position, after the Copa America, World Cup, and two seasons, the entire team, except for Neymar and those who do not play like Douglas Costa, has become a team of role players. Even the likes of Vinicius Junior and Antony are becoming more abstract, still having the attitude of superstars as role players.

Therefore, the first thing Brazil should do is recognize their own situation and adopt a more practical tactical approach.

They did extremely well in this match. Let’s not talk about whether there were fouls or not, this level of intensity is not uncommon in the Americas. It doesn’t matter whether they are playing at home or away. Nevertheless, Brazil did a great job limiting Argentina, especially players like Rafinha and Emerson, who have some technical ability and clearly know that they are role players.

However, a team where everyone carries the weight of the piano can only handle a weak opponent. Without Neymar, they rely on Gimenez and Rodrigo’s mental output, leaving Brazil dependent on luck rather than intelligence when facing a united Argentina.

But Brazil’s tactics were successful. Until the 81st minute before Joaquin Correa’s red card, they were largely in control, even though this control was quite abstract.

If Brazil continues to play like this, Neymar might have another brilliant era.

I would like to mention Rodrigo as well. At Real Madrid, he is like Griezmann at Barcelona, blind to his own abilities. But Griezmann is a mature star player, both when returning to Atletico Madrid and playing for the French national team, he has been a pure genius. Rodrigo, on the other hand, is a young player who is wasting his golden opportunity at Real Madrid; he would actually be more suited for Barcelona.

3. About the referee.

The referee did not have any major issues and leaned towards encouraging competitiveness. However, the end of the game was a bit confusing. Previously, the calls were biased towards the home team, but then to give Joaquin Correa a straight red card and show multiple yellow cards in the 80th minute, it’s unclear whether the intention was to make up for something or not…

4. Regarding off-field matters.

What is Brazil thinking… How dare they talk back to Messi like that…

A Chaotic Match: Violence and Disruption on and off the Field

Thanks for not inviting. This match can no longer be simply described as “crazy” or “barbaric” – it truly was an extraordinary melee…

Due to the brawl between the fans in the stands before the match, the security personnel had to intervene, and the way the armed individuals drove away the Argentine fans was also barbaric and rough. The Argentine players had to leave the field and enter the spectator area in an attempt to calm things down. Funny enough, even Martín got into an argument with the fans at the scene – in the end, the players' efforts failed.

Considering the recent off-field factors and sharp contradictions between Brazil and Argentina, this kind of thing isn’t particularly surprising – we just didn’t hope for, or get used to, football being like this. But as Chinese fans, I can’t help but feel a bit selfish and think that our social security is really good – otherwise, there wouldn’t have been so many “Tottenham fans” and “Korean fans” shouting openly at the Shenzhen stadium last night.

In any case, this kind of South American-style magical chaos and disorder is, in my opinion, part of football – quite dark, and sometimes it feels interesting.

Back to the main topic of the match: the intense off-field factors made the tense atmosphere between the two teams a bit strange –

On the Argentine side, Messi, as the captain, made the decision to avoid the scene and wait in the locker room until the situation stabilized, while the Brazilian team waited on the field. After half an hour, the match finally started – but I clearly had a feeling that the violence outside the field significantly reduced the battle emotions hidden within the players. Perhaps seeing the plight of the fans in the stands made both teams become calmer and more restrained, which is the reality; otherwise, I’m sure the match would have been 10 times more intense than what actually happened.

In other words, this match could have been played more barbarically, more intensely, and more chaotically. However, there were only 3 yellow cards in the first half, which didn’t quite match the atmosphere.

From a football perspective, the first half of the match can only be said to be 40% influenced by football factors, no more. The Brazilian team started strong, trying to gain an advantage in every physical contact opportunity, while it was difficult for the Argentine team to play the football they were accustomed to. Throughout the entire first half, two national teams reputed to have the best techniques in the world almost never completed 5 passes smoothly.

In the second half, the situation became calmer – and so did the audience. The atmosphere, which before the start felt as if it could burst through the sky, completely disappeared. The Argentine team, which had no shots on goal in the first half, gradually improved.

Lo Celso’s goal from a corner kick and Otamendi’s header was absolutely perfect. It feels like one of Otamendi’s best goals in his career.

The Brazilian team, which tried to immerse the match in a rhythm of physical confrontation, only had one good opportunity throughout the entire match: Jesus dribbling into the third zone from the left side of the midfield, and Martínez’s shot was saved. Other than that, the Brazilian team didn’t contribute anything particularly impressive.

On the Argentine side, it is commendable that they were able to win at the suffocating Maracanã, especially in a match with so many ups and downs. They showed something on the football level under extremely difficult circumstances, once again proving their strength.

To objectively speak about the red card given to Jadelson, it was a bit harsh – compared to the continuous conflict between the two teams in the first half, this action was not particularly outrageous. Personally, I feel that it was more like a punishment for the entire Brazilian team. To be honest, Tite’s lineup and on-site command cannot be said to be particularly bad. You say the players couldn’t control their emotions and lost their cool, but it’s not really the case. In any case, I feel that this failure will likely lead to him leaving.

Around the same time as the red card, Messi was substituted for Di María due to an injury to his right inner thigh. The team doctor treated him twice on the spot – basically just massaging his leg.

The job of a national team coach always prioritizes results, and this is something I deeply felt during this international match week. But speaking from the heart, I’m a bit tired of matches between national teams; let’s quickly return to the rhythm of the familiar leagues.

I hope the players from both sides who are returning to Europe right after this match will have a smooth journey. We need truly exciting football this weekend.

Summary: Argentina’s victory in the match against Brazil brings joy to their fans after previous violence and boosts their confidence ahead of upcoming competitions.

Translation: “Argentina’s Victory Boosts Confidence and Celebrates One Year Countdown to Championship” Taiwanese brawl before the game starts. It really lives up to its name as the South American derby between Brazil and Argentina. And the live broadcast signal is also live throughout the game. What’s even more abstract is that there are Yi Jianlian’s fans in the fight crowd…

Even in the South American region where fights accompany soccer games, the intensity of this game at the start is astonishing. I think even if Russia and Ukraine were to play a game now, it might not surpass this period.

Of course, the ability of the players from both teams is still strong. Despite the intensity of the confrontation and the sporadic rhythm, they can still coordinate some movements. If it were the Chinese national team, whether they can complete three consecutive passes would be a problem.

This Chilean referee team has seen big scenes before. They managed to control the chaotic situation at the start and successfully conducted the match. It’s doubtful if European referees could handle such a situation.

Now let’s talk about the content of Argentina’s game. It can be seen that Messi is getting older. After warming up, he cooled down for half an hour before playing. This is not good for the muscles. In the first half, Messi took every opportunity to go to the sidelines to massage his thigh muscles. The subsequent set pieces were mostly given to Lo Celso, indicating that Messi didn’t dare to exert too much force with his thigh muscles. Being substituted early in this kind of game certainly means that his physical condition is not well-suited for the intensity of the match, a protective substitution.

In midfield, Gonzalez was substituted for Lo Celso, and he positioned himself on the right. This should be to help Messi with the push while leaving the left side to Acuña. However, due to Enzo’s recent poor form, the midfield couldn’t completely transition from defense to offense and control the ball under their own rhythm. Even with Lo Celso, it was still difficult to deliver the ball to Messi and the situation was very passive.

The best performer in the entire midfield was De Paul. He went head-to-head with his opponents on both sides, and was fouled countless times. He received two yellow cards and a red card throughout the game. Although he made some horizontal passing mistakes, he still had the highest defensive efficiency and was the best at controlling the ball in the backline. It was thanks to him that Argentina withstood Brazil’s pressure in the first sixty minutes.

The defense still relied on the warrior Romero. He covered the goal, made timely interceptions, tackles, defensive headers, disruptions, and occasionally pushed forward. He had a feeling of being able to do anything, and it was his defensive stability that gave Otamendi the energy to perform in the attacking end.

By the way, Emi Martinez also had another stellar performance. Without his several saves, Argentina wouldn’t have been able to hold on until Otamendi’s goal.

Taking three points from two tough battles is not bad. Although it’s different from the expected three points, winning two consecutive games against Brazil in Maracanã seems to make the Candy Box’s failure less depressing.

Of course, the happiest ones must be the Argentine fans in the away stands. Two hours earlier, they were being attacked by the home fans and police. Two hours later, their team helped them hold their heads up high. It’s really satisfying!

Finally, one year ago today, Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia in Qatar. Next, let’s start the countdown to the one-year anniversary of our championship!

Poor Debao, beaten up due to lack of strategy despite his passion. Audi brother is quiet, unlike his usual self. It’s really amazing how people change; perhaps the impact of the 2018 French match was too much for him.

Excessive passion, insufficient technique, poor De Bao got a good beating, haha. Audi Ge (Referring to a person named Audi) being quiet is unlike his usual self, it truly makes one sigh. People do change, perhaps the impact of the match against France in 2018 was too great for him.

Brazil’s Extreme Tactics: A Reflection of the Past

Argentina’s Dominance and Suffering Victims The tactics of this match in Brazil reminded me of the game 9 years ago when Brazil eliminated Colombia and reached the quarterfinals. In that game, Brazil committed more than 30 fouls against Colombia, which directly frustrated them. They almost made Neymar retire due to a foul behind his back in the final moments.

Brazil tends to go to extremes. In the past, they were extremely focused on fancy footwork, and now they are extremely disruptive with fouls, which ruins the rhythm of the game. In fact, the current Brazilian lineup is fully capable of playing a conventional attacking football and there is no need to turn it into this.

There doesn’t seem to be a bright future for Brazil at the moment. They should first choose a good coach and establish a consistent style.

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Argentina itself is strong, and with the mentality of winning (before the game, their security personnel attacked Argentine fans), it’s no surprise that they won the match. Due to the frequent fouls committed by Brazil throughout the game, Argentina suffered a lot. Players like Macca, De Paulo, and Messi have truly been battered and bruised. Since most of them play in the top five leagues, they have their club games in a few days, so they need to recover quickly.

Summarize the input and translate it into English:

1. Both sides had poor opportunities.
2. Chaotic matches in South America, both on and off the field.
3. Messi, the only Argentine player not booed by the home fans, had a mediocre performance.
4. Argentina’s chances of advancing are looking good, while Brazil must not be complacent. The 10 teams in South America are all tough opponents.
5. The opportunities on both sides are lackluster.
6. The matches in South America are truly hard to describe; both on and off the field is equally explosive.
7. Messi was the only Argentine player who wasn’t booed by the home fans during the pre-match introduction. Many Brazilians genuinely like Messi, even though his performance in this match was just average.
8. After this match, Argentina’s chances of advancing are looking very good. Brazil cannot afford to be careless anymore; there is very little room for error. Each of these 10 South American teams is a force to be reckoned with.

The Performance of the Referee in Brazil vs Argentina Match Was Quite Poor.

First of all, let’s briefly revisit the definition of Brazil’s “defensive style” in yesterday’s response.

This game truly took me by surprise. The Brazilian team deviated from their usual style of play and started to resemble the Netherlands and Argentina in terms of their defensive strategies.

Who would have thought that it was the usually defensive-minded Italian Peninsula that managed to maintain a clean sheet in the world of football?

I’ve pondered over it and still can’t figure out if Brazil’s “defensive strategy” was predetermined from the beginning, arranged on the spot during the fan brawl, or just a spontaneous decision by the players.

In any case, I couldn’t quite comprehend it. The only explanation that somewhat makes sense to me is that the players were affected by the chaos. But that doesn’t make sense either, as it was the Argentine fans who were beaten up, and Brazil had no reason to vent their anger with rough defensive tactics, nor did they need to intimidate the Argentine team. The fans and the police had already done that in the stands. Yi Jianlian even came onto the field to help!

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Secondly, the performance of the referee was quite poor. If this were in Europe, I would say it was a “Henning-level” performance.

Please note, when I say “Henning-level” performance, I purely mean the referee’s inconsistent judgment, inability to control the match, and a poor display of card-handing skills. There is no hidden meaning or irony.

Speaking of a textbook example of a poor referee, Henning’s performance should be quite representative, as it dissatisfied fans from both sides.

But I estimate that there will still be people in the comments section trying to label it differently, it doesn’t bother me, I’m used to it.

Given that I haven’t followed South American football much in recent years, I cannot accurately determine whether the referee lost his composure due to the unexpected chaos or deliberately amplified his standards due to his “experienced” handling of South American derbies.

But the premise for amplifying standards is that the judging criteria should be consistent, which this referee clearly failed to achieve. He was quick to issue cards when Brazil was involved in the “rough and tumble” at the start of the match, but he suddenly retracted his hand when Argentina picked up the pace and started competing with Brazil.

Joelinton’s red card seemed justified, but wasn’t De Paul’s defensive action deserving of a whistle long before? And what about González’s flying tackle? Shouldn’t that have been punished as well? In short, the refereeing in this South American derby cannot be regarded as “art.”

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Furthermore, the match itself was quite unremarkable. Brazil’s attack was decent, but Martínez had a bit more luck than Alisson. Both goalkeepers performed at a top level, but Martínez earned his team three points, while Alisson could only bring three consecutive defeats.

Argentina’s goal was a pleasant surprise, but their overall performance was not impressive. The goal drought in the forward line continues. At the same time, Joelinton’s expulsion didn’t have a significant impact on the overall match; at most, it thwarted Brazil’s hope of equalizing in the final moments. But… is there still hope for Brazil in those final minutes?

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Lastly, there seems to be a trend among the younger generation of players targeting Messi. First, Wu Lei mocked De Paul and indirectly mentioned Messi, and now Rodrigo confronted Messi face-to-face. What is happening?

Are these young players aiming to overthrow the old football king and take over? Or is it simply a case of attracting attention when you’re in the spotlight? Or perhaps there’s some hidden story in our “football desert” that we don’t know about?

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And finally, considering the behavior of South American fans, I personally think that the conduct of Chinese fans still needs improvement.

Or rather, the behavior of Chinese fans yesterday lacked organization. It couldn’t even measure up to half of what happened between Shanghai Shenhua and Jiangsu Suning fans in the past.

To that grandson who flipped the middle finger and showcased Son Heung-min’s jersey, how can a few insults be enough?

No, this won’t do. We can’t keep acting arrogantly! In dealing with such “East Asian international friends,” we must “maintain the proper attitude”!