Rio de Janeiro: In what could be a ‘Clash of Champions’, Italy and Argentina are likely to face off in the Maradona Super Cup, according to several reports. The one-off encounter is an attempt to pay tribute to legendary Diego Maradona who passed away earlier this year.
From Lionel Messi’s magical first to Italy’s resurgence, the footballing fraternity witnessed it all on the ‘Super Sunday’ last week. While Argentina defeated arch-rivals Brazil 1-0 in the Copa America 2021 final to bag their first trophy after 28 years, the Azzurri’s overcame England at the Wembley Stadium to become new European champions.
With UEFA and CONMEBOL in talks for the possible fixture, if it happens, the match will drive fans around the globe crazy. It will also see a perfect mouthwatering battle between Messi and Italian custodian Gianluigi Donnarumma, the two Players of the Tournament for Copa America 2021 and Euro 2020 respectively.
UEFA and CONMEBOL are in advanced talks for a match between the new European and South American champions.
Italy vs. Argentina would be played in Naples in honor of Diego Maradona, per @tariqpanja pic.twitter.com/tgMhLojnVK
— B/R Football (@brfootball) July 13, 2021
As per sources, the match will be played in Naples – the place where Maradona made his name at club level with Napoli winning Serie A multiple titles. He was also the undeniable talisman of Argentina that won the 1986 World Cup.
However, nothing has been official yet. Also, as a matter of fact, there’s very little chance that the fixture will be played this year due to a clogged international calendar as well as considering the effects of the ongoing pandemic situation but the idea is to play it next year if possible prior to the World Cup.
Usually, the champions of both the tournaments join the winners of other continental competitions in the FIFA Confederations Cup, held a year before each World Cup. This year though the tournament was scrapped due to COVID-19. In the last edition in 2017, Copa champions Chile defeated the Euro winners Portugal but lost the final against Germany – the then reigning World Cup holders.
However, this thing isn’t new as there had been twice occasions in 1985 and1993 when the South American champions took on the European champions in the Artemio Franchi Trophy, named after a former UEFA president who died in a road accident.
