Argentina is preparing this Wednesday for another World Cup day, which can be epic or disastrous. The albiceleste is played against Poland for the pass to the round of 16. It will be at eight in the afternoon (Barcelona time), which in the southern country will be four in the afternoon. A time when most children leave school, which will prevent parents from having to face the dichotomy of whether or not to send their children to class, as would happen if the meeting were held during the school day. It is not a cliché to say that the country will be paralyzed from four to six.
Messi's team, led by Lionel Scaloni, cannot lose if they want to continue in the World Cup in Qatar. Only a victory against Lewandowski's team guarantees a place in the round of 16. The tie is dangerous because then the short table would depend on the result of Saudi Arabia-Mexico, which is played at the same time. The national debacle will only happen if Argentina loses or, in the event of a tie, if the Mexicans beat the Saudis by more than three goals or if Saudi Arabia beats Mexico.
The Argentines return today to place all their hopes on Messi, who scored in the two previous games. Leo scored a penalty against the Arabs, although I couldn't avoid the subsequent Saudi comeback, which ended 2-1. And La Pulga also opened the score in the 2-0 victory against the tricolor.
Last night, the Obelisk wore Messi's shirt and other images linked to Leo and the national team, thanks to a spectacular projection on the popular monument in the center of Buenos Aires, a traditional place for sports celebrations, where the locals hope to celebrate this Wednesday. the classification.
This working afternoon, the traditional barbecues will be difficult to carry out en masse, as happened on Saturday to see the confrontation with Mexico. But those who work will try to leave the office earlier or find a way to sit in front of a television.
How could it be otherwise, the meeting is broadcast free of charge by TVP, public television; also through the internet, although only if the connection is made from Argentine territory.
There is no self-respecting Argentine city whose town hall does not mount a giant screen. The main fan fest with a giant screen will be in Buenos Aires, where the municipality has set up a square next to the forests of Palermo that was filled on Saturday, facing Mexico, despite the 32 degree heat, an unusual temperature for this southern spring. . The square is fenced and access is free, but for security reasons, fans must first obtain their ticket online.
Today the temperature is milder. 26 degrees Celsius are forecast at game time, but also strong storms, which may eventually make people stay home.
The meeting also coincides this Wednesday with the Day of the Fan of San Lorenzo, one of the so-called five greats of Argentine soccer, in addition to being the team of Pope Francis. In this way, the traditional Boedo neighborhood of Buenos Aires will also concentrate -with the permission of the rain- a good part of the Buenos Aires fans, since the club has set up a giant screen to watch the game, before starting the annual day of celebrations.
And meanwhile, 14,000 kilometers away from Buenos Aires, the albiceleste tide worries the authorities and FIFA. The match against Poland is played at the 974 stadium in Doha, the one that is characterized by being built with colored containers, but it only has a capacity for 44,000 spectators. It is estimated that 35,000 Argentinians have traveled to Qatar to watch the World Cup live -including a hundred violent bullies from different clubs-, many of whom have already gathered six hours before the game on the Souq Waquif esplanade in Doha to attend together to the stadium, in what in Argentina is called a banderazo. The authorities fear that many of these fans will try to enter the stadium without a ticket. Or that incidents occur, if Messi's Argentina is eliminated.
