The 2020 Copa América will finally kick off on Sunday, and teams from South America will try to steal the crown away from the 2019 winners, Brazil, who will repeat as hosts due to the events that forced CONMEBOL to strip hosting duties from Argentina and Colombia.
The competition will begin with interesting matches belonging to Group A, where almost all teams have reason to believe in their chances of earning a spot in the next round. Only one team will be eliminated from this group after the end of this stage, but all teams must be wary not to finish in third or fourth place, since that would force them to face the leaders in Group B in the KO stage.
Let's have a look at all the details surrounding Group A in the South American competition.
Which teams are involved in Group A?
Argentina - La Albiceleste has to be considered not only as the most likely winner of the group, but also as a title contender. Having Lionel Messi around will always be cause for concern for other defenders, but the Argentine superstar seems to be part of a squad that can put an end to their 28-year drought without a title. Can the team led by Lionel Scaloni go all the way?
Bolivia - Perhaps the weakest team in the bunch, Bolivia has struggled to find a proper team for quite a while, but a late surge during the most recent international games has seen fans raising their hopes for La Verde. If the Bolivian side wants to make it to the next round, Marcelo Moreno Martins' contribution will be key to avoid an early exit from the competition.
Chile - La Roja is still undergoing a rebuilding process, and this will be a massive test for recently appointed coach Martín Lasarte, who is still unbeaten as Chile's coach after three games. The likes of Claudio Bravo, Alexis Sánchez, and Arturo Vidal will be back with the red and blue side, and maybe some of those names will be able to say goodbye to this sort of competition by putting up a good show for their supporters.
Paraguay - La Albirroja has not been as impressive during Eduardo Berizzo's term as coach, but Los Guaraníes certainly have what it takes to make it to the next round. Players such as Miguel Almirón, Angel Romero or Richard Sánchez are set to carry their weight during the competition, and all that will be left to see is how far they can get with what they've got.
Uruguay - La Celeste seems to have all the elements to be considered a title contender, but Oscar Washington Tabárez's side seems to have aged the wrong way, and their recent results show a bit of tiredness in some of their key players. Yes, Godín, Suárez, and Cavani will all be there, but maybe their time could come to an end with the Uruguayan side sooner than expected, and our biggest fear would be to see such a successful generation saying goodbye in bad shape.
Which cities will host Group A?
As you may know, the Copa América was set to be played in Colombia and Argentina, but since the tournament moved to Brazil, the cities that will be hosting Group A's games will be: Rio de Janeiro, Goiania, Brasilia, and Cuiabá.
Group A prediction
Argentina should have no problem to claim the top spot in the group, which might see Chile and Uruguay fighting for the runner-up spot. Paraguay and Bolivia will then fight to avoid an early exit from the tournament, but it is our belief that La Verde will be the one to pack their bags after just four games.
1. Argentina
2. Chile
3. Uruguay
4. Paraguay
5. Bolivia
Copa America 2020 - Group A calendar
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Argentina 1 - 0 Uruguay
June 18, 2021 8:00pmEstádio Nacional de Brasília (Brasília, Distrito Federal)This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.
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Argentina 1 - 0 Paraguay
June 21, 2021 8:00pmEstádio Nacional de Brasília (Brasília, Distrito Federal)This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.
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