Kolkata awaits Messi’s coronation

The Albicelestes have big stars led by Lionel Messi,while Venezuela’s stocks are just recently on the rise after a semi-final finish at this year’s Copa America. And yet,the international friendly at Yuba Bharati Krirangan assumes great significance not only because it’s arguably the biggest ever footballing occasion in Kolkata but also for the little big man from Rosario who will wear the captain’s armband for the first time.

For this football-crazy city,Friday’s game is all about Messi and his pyrotechnics. For Argentina too it’s about finding the leader in Messi,who they believe will eventually guide them to the ultimate goal – the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Jose Mourinho,as Inter Milan coach,had managed to stop Messi and win the Champions League semi-finals against Barcelona in 2010 by “parking the bus” in his own area. The self-styled Special One claimed that he had managed to unlock the Messi secret. The next five meetings between Mourinho and Messi,however,have suggested otherwise.

The little master,however,has his critics in Argentina who allege that Messi is not that successful with the national team. Sabella believes the additional responsibility of leading the side will help wipe out the allegation.

Messi has the licence to freewheel at Barcelona and Sabella,who will make his debut as the national team’s coach at YBK,is going to give his best player the same liberty. The problem is that Argentina don’t possess a Xavi or an Iniesta,and the likes fo Angel di Maria and Javier Pastore have to step up in order to relieve Messi’s playmaking burden. Against Venezuela,however,the difference in class is unlikely to pose a problem.

Sabella prefers attacking football and that is the reason why he likes the 3-4-1-2 formation. With Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero up front,goal-scoring is in safe hands. The coach knows very well that Messi won’t be allowed space as Venezuela like to push up the pitch and close down the spaces between the lines of midfield and defence. It’s nothing new to Messi though. Different teams have tried different methods to stop his sorcery. But he has usually had the last laugh. “You can’t stop a genius,” Barca coach Pep Guardiola once said.

Argentina will score but can they defend their lead? Defence has been the team’s main weakness,which led to their downfall at the 2010 World Cup as also in the Copa. And without Javier Zanetti,it looks a little thin on paper. Pablo Zabaleta has been in good form for Manchester City but he doesn’t have a Zanetti-like calming influence on his colleagues. Nicolas Burdisso is usually solid but at the same time is prone to the odd mistake.

Spare a thought for Venezuela as well. In 1999,they were ranked 110 in the FIFA rankings,four places below India. At present,Venezuela are ranked 44,while India have slipped to 158 . Reaching the Copa semifinal was a huge achievement for a country with an estimated population of 20.1 million. Coach Cesar Farias has never played first-class football but has been in charge of the national team for close to four years.