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#3 Contain Neymar
With two goals and three assists to his name, Neymar has been Brazil's best player at Copa America 2021. He has showcased his incredible set of skills and has displayed his amazing passing range as well. It is worth noting that Neymar was adjudged the player-of-the-match in both of his last two outings against Argentina.
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He has scored three goals and assisted four in his 10 matches against La Albiceleste. Lionel Scaloni will want someone like Guido Rodriguez to mark Neymar and keep him as quiet as possible for the majority of the match.
If Neymar is unable to impose himself, Brazil will suffer from a lack of creativity. Except for Lucas Paqueta, there are no other players who are known for being creators in this Brazil team. So one obvious way to contain Brazil is to contain Neymar.
#2 Play Giovani Lo Celso and Rodrigo De Paul in midfield
Giovani Lo Celso and Rodrigo De Paul have done a great job at protecting Lionel Messi. De Paul and Lo Celso have both been great for Argentina in the centre of the park and both players have the ability to create chances.
As such, teams can no longer expect to stop Argentina by marking Messi out of the game. Lo Celso played a brilliant defence splitting pass for Messi in the game against Colombia which ultimately culminated in Lautaro Martinez's opening goal.
De Paul has been an enterprising presence in midfield for Lionel Scaloni's men and has contributed well on both sides of the pitch. Having De Paul and Lo Celso adds more dynamism to Argentina's game. With them on the field, they are a team that can hurt the opposition in a variety of ways.
#1 Give Lionel Messi the freedom he needs
Lionel Messi has undoubtedly been the best player at Copa America 2021. Messi has scored four goals and provided five assists so far in continental competition. The Barcelona attacker has been a man on a mission and will stop at nothing to end Argentina's 28-year-old dry spell at the Copa America.
It is also perhaps his final chance to win the continental competition. Messi's critics have always used the lack of a major international trophy as a point to further the argument that he is not the greatest of all time. So a win here could be monumental for the diminutive genius.
He has looked incredible with the ball at his feet in the tournament and has been ably supported by Lautaro Martinez and Nicolas Gonzalez in attack.
The likes of Thiago Silva and Marquinhos cannot afford to switch off at any point during the game because Messi will punish them for it. Argentina need to show up as a team to shoulder the responsibility and help produce the kind of environment where Messi can thrive.
