New Argentina coach Sergio Batista is looking to re-create Argentina in his own vision and has already made changes to the squad that failed to reach the semi-finals at the 2010 World Cups in South Africa. With the expectations of the football fanatics in the South American country as high as ever, indeed Batista will have to deliver right from the start.
Last week the 47-year-old, who won the 1986 World Cup with Argentina, told reporters, "In both national teams there are good ball players, attackers of a similar standard. The style is similar. This Argentina could play like Spain, easily."
Indeed, defensive midfielder Esteban Cambiasso, overlooked by former coach Diego Armando Maradona for the South Africa extravagenza, says that Spanish football is a model to follow and adds, "(Batista's) idea is for the team to have that (Spanish) identity ... holding possession as much time as possible. We have to try that, we have the players to achieve it. One shouldn't die before trying to play like Spain."
Star player Lionel Messi too emphasised the importance of maintaining possession of the ball and explained, "It is a great game to be able to play in. I am sure it will be an open match, Spain plays possession football and that will allow us to play as well.
"We will have to get the ball of them, it is not going to be easy, but when we have the ball then you will see that both sides have similar ideas of playing the game.
Argentina has got great players and that I why I think we can win an open game. But I repeat that it is very important for us to have the ball."
Goals Galore
Reigning European and world champions Spain commenced their conquest for the Euro 2012 finals in perfect style on Friday when they defeated Lichtenstein 4-0 in their opening game of the qualifying campaign. Striker Fernando Torres struck twice and David Villa scored once to equal Raul's all-time record of 44 international goals for his nation.
The last time Spain took on Argentina was in another friendly in November 2009 in Madrid. At the time la Furia Roja won the match 2-1 with the Spain defenders and midfielders smothering the threat of Messi to marvellous effect.
Coach Vicente del Bosque knows the significance of stopping the 23-year-old and said, "We have players who know him perfectly well but, however much you control or know him, he's capable of finding solutions to any problem he faces.
"He's an extraordinary player who, at the World Cup, without scoring a goal, showed he could have scored seven or eight in the group games."
Right-back Sergio Ramos too has identified Messi as a major threat but warns that his Real Madrid teammate Gonzalo Higuain too is a cause for concern.
“[Gonazlo] Higuain and [Lionel] Messi are two players who are always in contact with the goal, and we must be very attentive to them. We also have our own style and we’ll worry about ourselves.
“I think we know the wide range of ability that the Argentines have, but we will try and continue with our own philosophy, which has led us to so many successes.”
TEAM NEWS
Argentina
Andres D'Alessandro is back in the Argentina squad after five years. He inspired Internacional to the Libertadores Cup triumph last month and is likely to slot in just behind the front-three. Javier Zanetti should start at right-back while Gabriel Milito is likely to partner Walter Samuel in central defence.
Probable Lineup (4-2-1-3): Romero, Zanetti, Samuel, Milito, Heinze; Mascherano, Cambiasso; D'Alessandro; Messi, Milito, Tevez
Spain
Del Bosque is likely to begin the match with the same line-up that started on Friday even though this is a friendly international.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Casillas, Ramos, Pique, Marchena, Capdevila; Xavi, Alonso, Busquets, Iniesta; Villa, Torres
Prediction
It promises to be an entertaining match and one can expect goals. However, it is a new era for Argentina while Spain are already a well-functioning and well settled side. A win for the world champions looks more likely than a win for the hosts, but don't be surprised if the game ends in a draw.
Argentina 2-2 Spain 
