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Brazil-Argentina Suspended After Authorities Show Up Mid-Game To Deport Argentines

The highly anticipated, world-stopping World Cup qualifier between Brazil and Argentina in São Paulo ended in farce on Sunday afternoon. The buildup to the match had been dominated by COVID-19 guidelines, which ruled out the Premier League-based players for both countries.

Brazil abided by its own nation’s health guidelines — which rule that anyone arriving in Brazil from Britain must spend 14 days in quarantine — and named a starting lineup without the likes of Alisson, Thiago Silva and Gabriel Jesus.

Argentina, however, said to hell with that (which is basically what Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro has said to every measure counteracting the pandemic) and fielded a starting XI that included Aston Villa’s Emi Martínez and the Tottenham duo of Giovani Lo Celso and Cristian Romero.

Part of the absurdity is that Argentina flew to Brazil directly after last Thursday’s WCQ win over Venezuela, and that’s when Brazilian health and travel authorities said that Argentina’s Premier League players would be deported. It was initially reported that Argentina’s England-based contingent had lied about being in England within the last two weeks upon entering Brazil, but the Argentine Football Association (AFA) says that’s a lie.

Regardless, nothing happened for days, and then we actually had the anthems, kick-off and a couple of trademark Superclásico de las Américas tackles at Arena Corinthians. However, with about six minutes on the clock, the Brazilian authorities actually showed up and tried to actively deport the Argentines.

The scenes from there descended into absurdity. Argentina retreated to its dressing room and locked the door, while Brazil stayed out on the pitch. After a while Lionel Messi emerged and spoke with Dani Alves in the tunnel. Argentina’s captain then took to the pitch, where he could be seen in animated discussions with Neymar, Brazil manager Tite and Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni.

The word from São Paulo is that both teams still wanted to play. 

The match has been officially suspended, but a final decision on the outcome has yet to be decided. 

Update: The three points might be going to Argentina...

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