Brazil, Argentina set to clash Down Under

Battle between top football nations expected to boost Aussie game

MELBOURNE: Argentina's Superclasico showdown with arch-rivals Brazil is set to pump tens of millions of dollars into the Australian economy when they play in front of 100,000 fans on Friday.

Although Neymar is missing from Brazil's line-up, his Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi will light up the occasion at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Melbourne is just the latest far-flung city to host the Superclasico, one of the most hotly anticipated fixtures in football, joining the likes of Beijing, New Jersey, Doha and London.

The star players at Argentina and Brazil's disposal and their bitter rivalry make the match a sure-fire hit. Resale tickets were selling for up to $458 online on Thursday.

Friday's game has been eight months in the making with an undisclosed financial inducement to get the top two nations in world football all the way Down Under.

While the fees have not been revealed, the game, along with Brazil's match against Australia in Melbourne next week, is forecast to inject more $38 million into the local economy.

Australian promoters are hailing Friday's game as the "best collection of world footballers to step foot in Australia".

But while organisers are enthusiastic, then-Argentina coach Edgardo Bauza made clear neither he nor his players were happy when the game was announced last year.

"Because it comes after the club season the players don't really want to know about it," Bauza was quoted as saying. "They want to go on holiday, they're planning which beach they're going to be lying on with their women. And then you tell them that they have to go to Australia!"

The long trip also comes at a crunch time for Argentina, who are in fifth place — the play-off spot — with four games left in South American qualifying for next year's World Cup.

It will be the first game in charge for Jorge Sampaoli, their third coach of this World Cup qualifying campaign. Brazil have already booked their spot at next year's tournament in Russia.

According to Damien de Bohun, general manager of the state of Victoria's Major Events, the lure of playing at the MCG, one of the world's great sporting arenas, clinched the deal.

"Melbourne is an events city, dealing with the best events — Australian Formula One, Australian tennis Open and the Melbourne Cup," said de Bohun.

"So a match involving two of the world's greatest teams, Brazil and Argentina, was a natural fit."