MONTEVIDEO: Five of South America’s leading players will be missing when the continent’s 2018 World Cup qualifiers kick off this week.

Lionel Messi and Neymar will be absent as Brazil and Argentina set out on the road to Russia — and redemption — when South American World Cup qualifiers kick off on Thursday.

Injured Messi and suspended Neymar are just two of a galaxy of stars who will be missing as the long journey to Russia begins. Uruguay will be without the suspended Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani while Colombia’s James Rodriguez is also injured.

That leaves Chile’s Alexis Sanchez as one of the few top talents available and ready to light up their home clash with Brazil in Santiago, the opening round’s big match on Thursday.

Sergio Aguero, who is in fine scoring form for Manchester City, with five goals against Newcastle United last weekend, is expected to lead the Argentina attack at home to Ecuador.

Beside him or ready to spring off the bench for the match at the Monumental in Buenos Aires on Thursday will be Carlos Tevez, who is close to winning another league title with Boca Juniors.

Messi injured his knee the previous weekend playing for Barcelona and was told he would be out for up to eight weeks and could miss four of the 2014 World Cup runners-up’s matches in the marathon 18-round group.

“Messi’s absence must be an incentive and not an excuse,” said his Barcelona team mate Javier Mascherano, who will most likely lead the side.

“We’re going to need more from everyone because we lack the most important player we have, but we’ve missed him before and the team responded well.

“We’re starting a long and hard road which gives you the ticket to the World Cup. It’s going to be important to start with a cushion of points that will give us tranquillity,” he added.

Coach Gerardo Martino is hoping Messi, who also misses the trip to Paraguay next Tuesday, will recover quickly enough to become available for next month’s home match against arch-rivals Brazil and trip to Colombia.

BANNED URUGUAYANS

Back in July, Chile lifted the Copa America for the first time in Santiago after Brazil, without the suspended Neymar, went home early following their penalty-shootout defeat to Paraguay in the quarter-finals.

Argentina’s campaign meanwhile ended in a penalty shoot-out against Chile in the final, shattering Messi and the Albiceleste’s hopes of winning a first major tournament since 1993.

Neymar was sent off in a group match defeat to Colombia and banned for four matches after insulting Chilean referee Enrique Osses. He has to sit out two of Brazil’s qualifiers, the second one at home to Venezuela next week.

But while Copa America form suggests Chile are favourites, Brazil head into their game with history squarely in their corner.

Brazil have suffered one solitary defeat to Chile during World Cup qualifiers, a 3-0 loss during the campaign to reach the 2002 tournament.

In 14 meetings since that defeat, Brazil have won 12, drawn two, lost none.

“Every game has its own history, and times change, but the fact that we do well against Chile whenever we play them has its advantages,” said Brazilian veteran Kaka, drafted into manager Dunga’s squad to replace the injured Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho.

Uruguay will have to grapple with the absence of Suarez and Cavani as they face a daunting trip to the thin air of La Paz to face Bolivia.

Suarez is still serving a nine-match FIFA ban for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 finals in Brazil.

He missed the Copa America and will not become available again to coach Oscar Tabarez until March after sitting out Thursday’s visit to Bolivia and next week’s home clash with Colombia.

Cavani is serving a two-match ban after being sent off in Uruguay’s quarter-final defeat at the Copa for hitting Chile’s Gonzalo Jara, who had infamously poked his finger up the forward’s backside.

Colombia, meanwhile, who face Uruguay in their second match next week, meet Peru in the port city of Barranquilla without Real Madrid star Rodriguez, meaning the attacking burden is likely to fall on out-of-form Chelsea striker Radamel Falcao.

Published in Dawn, October 8th , 2015

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