With Lionel Messi sidelined due to injury, Uruguay is set to host Argentina for Matchday 13 of the CONMEBOL 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
Uruguay is set to host a crucial clash against Argentina for Matchday 13 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. With Lionel Messi absent from the squad, manager Lionel Scaloni will need to field a competitive team against Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
Argentina currently leads the CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifiers with 25 points from 12 games, while Uruguay sits in 3rd place with 20 points. The game is scheduled to take place at 6:30 pm local time.
Bielsa will be aiming for his second consecutive win over Scaloni’s Argentina, this time at home. In their previous encounter (Matchday 5), Uruguay surprised La Albiceleste with a 2-0 victory in Buenos Aires. Ahead of the game, Scaloni addressed Uruguay’s upcoming match:
“We already know how Marcelo’s teams play. The truth is, it will be a very tough match, we are prepared for it. We made sure to review and go over what happened at La Bombonera, but every match is different. We hope it goes in the best possible way, they are the home team and they are very strong there,” he said in Thursday’s press conference.
Argentina struggling with several key injuries
Although Argentina’s qualification is far from being in danger, the upcoming matches against Uruguay and Brazil were seen as an excellent opportunity for the team to assert their dominance and further cement their place as the top national team. However, Scaloni will have to cope without several key World Cup winners due to last-minute injuries.
The most notable absence is that of Lionel Messi, who picked up a minor muscle injury in his last game for Inter Miami against Atlanta United. Other last-minute injuries have sidelined Paulo Dybala, Lautaro Martinez, and Gonzalo Montiel, further limiting Scaloni’s options.
Another significant blow is the absence of Lisandro Martinez, who suffered an ACL injury while playing for Manchester United. These injuries will give young talents like Nico Paz, Giuliano Simeone, Santiago Castro, and Benjamin Dominguez the opportunity to gain minutes with the national team.
Predicted starting lineups for Uruguay and Argentina
Uruguay’s predicted lineup (3-4-3): Sergio Rochet; Ronald Araujo, Jose Maria Gimenez, Mathias Olivera; Federico Valverde, Rodrigo Bentancur, Nicolas de la Cruz, Maximiliano Araujo; Giorgian De Arrascaeta, Darwin Nuñez, Facundo Pellistri.
Argentina’s predicted lineup (4-3-3): Emiliano Martinez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Otamendi, Nicolas Tagliafico; Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, Thiago Almada; Giuliano Simeone, Julian Alvarez, Nicolas Gonzalez.
