Messi tackles mentor-coach, Pekerman in quarter-final tie

The pupil faces up to the master when Lionel Messi leads Argentina against the Coach Jose Pekerman-led Colombian national team in tonight’s quarterfinal tie between the pair in the ongoing Copa America championship.

Former Argentina coach Pekerman gave Messi his international debut 10 years ago and took him to his first World Cup finals in Germany in 2006.

The final moment of the pair at the tournament had Messi sitting head bowed on the bench as Pekerman overlooked him when making substitutions and the team lost to hosts Germany in a shootout following a 1-1 draw after extra time in the quarter-finals.

Messi will be looking to ensure it is Pekerman’s turn to be left staring at the ground at the end of Friday’s match at Vina del Mar with 2014 World Cup runners-up Argentina progressing to the semifinals.

But, with 100 caps under his belt, Messi has nothing but praise and gratitude towards Pekerman and has often said: “He gave me a lot of advice that I don’t forget.”

It should be an open match which both Messi and Pekerman will be looking forward to given the attacking inclinations of both men and their teams after struggling to overcome defensive tactics from their group rivals and only shining intermittently.

“Colombia has a game that can favour us because they play and come out (of defence) more than the majority of our rivals up to now,” says Argentina winger Angel Di Maria.

“I think we’ll have more room to move up front. They have great players who also need mobility. We’re expecting an end to end match.”

Pekerman is now working with another classy number 10, James Rodriguez, top scorer at last year’s World Cup and the man some believe should have been named best player instead of Messi.

“We all know they have good players but I think it’s going to be 50-50 because Colombia also play, that’s why it will be a nice match,” Rodriguez told reporters.