Copa America: Who plays who?
Brazil hosts the 2019 edition of the Copa America from June 14 to July, and things are shaping up following the draw in Río de Janeiro on Thursday, and which has pitted a number of FC Barcelona players face to face in the opening round.
The twelve countries, consisting of the ten members of Conmebol plus two guest nations from Asia (Japan and Qatar) will be playing in three groups of four, with the two top teams from each plus the two best third v placed teams overall progressing to the quarter finals.
GROUP A: Coutinho, Arthur, Rafinha and Malcom (Brazil)
Barça could potentially have as many as four players in the host squad, who are looking to become the first three v time winners of the 21st century.
BRAZIL v BOLIVIA
14 June
Sao Paulo
BRAZIL v VENEZUELA
18 June
Salvador de Bahía
PERU v BRAZIL
22 June
Sao Paulo
GROUP B: Messi (Argentina) and Murillo (Colombia)
Argentina haven’t been crowned South American champions since 1993 and Leo Messi is still looking for his first major honour at senior international level. Could this be his chance? In the opening game he’ll be going head to head with Jeison Murillo’s Colombia, who have only won the trophy once, in 2001.
ARGENTINA v COLOMBIA
15 June
Salvador de Bahía
COLOMBIA v QATAR
19 June
Sao Paulo
ARGENTINA v PARAGUAY
19 June
Belo Horizonte
QATAR v ARGENTINA
23 June
Porto Alegre
COLOMBIA v PARAGUAY
23 June
Salvador de Bahía
GROUP C: Luis Suárez (Uruguay) and Arturo Vidal (Chile)
After 99 years of failed attempts, Chile have won the last two editions of the Copa America and Arturo Vidal and co could become the first team since Argentina in 1947 to win three times in a row. Uruguay, with a record 15 championships and Luis Suárez in their ranks are among the teams they’ll meet in the opening round. That game is on June 24 at the legendary Maracaná.
URUGUAY v ECUADOR
16 June
Belo Horizonte
JAPÓN v CHILE
17 June
Sao Paulo
URUGUAY v JAPÓN
20 June
Porto Alegre
ECUADOR v CHILE
21 June
Salvador de Bahía
CHILE v URUGUAY
24 June
Río de Janeiro