Barcelona stars set to square off
Lionel Messi is back for Argentina. And Luis Suarez is expected to return for Uruguay.
The two Barcelona teammates should be the focus Thursday in South America’s most high-profile World Cup qualifier.
With four rounds of qualifying remaining, Brazil has already advanced to Russia and leads the group with 33 points. The five-time World Cup winners are followed by Colombia (24), Uruguay (23), Chile (23), Argentina (22) and Ecuador (20). Peru and Paraguay have 18 points, and little chance to advance. Bolivia and Venezuela have been eliminated.
In addition to Brazil, three more teams will claim the remaining automatic berths, and one more South American team could also reach Russia in a playoff.
Messi is back from a onegame ban for insulting a match official. It was originally four matches, but the Argentine soccer association appealed successfully.
That’s good news for coach Jorge Sampaoli, who will be on the bench for his first official game in charge. Without Messi, Argentina lost to Bolivia 2-0 in its last qualifier in March.
Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez also needs Suarez. He has a right-knee injury, which Tabarez said will be evaluated in the run-up to the match.
Asian qualifying: Saudi Arabia’s hopes of getting an automatic qualification for the World Cup took a hit in a 2-1 loss to the United Arab Emirates in Asian Group B.
Ahmed Khalil struck a long-range winner to keep fourth-placed UAE in with a faint chance of qualifying for Russia.
Only the top two in the two Asian groups are guaranteed places at the tournament in June. Saudi Arabia is second in Group B, but Australia now has a game in hand.
Signings, transfers: Defending Series A champion Monaco signed forwards Stevan Jovetic from Inter Milan and Keita Balde from Lazio, preempting the anticipated departure of Kylian Mbappe to Paris Saint-Germain.
English Premier League team Liverpool has reached an agreement to sign Naby Keita from the German club Leipzig for next season for a reported $62 million, which would be a club record . ... Tottenham sold Kevin Wimmer to rival Stoke for $23.3 million.