Does the presence of Maradona on the Argentina bench make the occasion even more special?
Maradona was a tremendous player, who shares a beautiful history with the Argentinian national team. On the same note, Dunga and Brazil have a history of their own. Neither will be on the pitch this time, however. We respect Maradona for everything he stands for in the world game but we’ve also got a great coach, which puts us on an equal footing once the game begins. There has been a lot of speculation that Brazil will be under more pressure in the Estadio Gigante de Arroyito than they would have been at the Monumental. Could this factor be decisive? It all depends on how we approach the game and how we play. If we don’t let ourselves be intimidated and impose our usual way of playing on the game, then we’ve got a great chance of coming away with a good result. We know that the supporters are closer to the pitch in Rosario, and that alone creates a more pressurised atmosphere. But Brazil-Argentina games are always tense and tough, wherever they are played. Brazil have always been fame
