Messi's Argentina to play in Kolkata & Dhaka

In great news for fans of top class football the national teams of Argentina and Venezuela will face each other in a South American derby on September 2, 2011 at the Saltlake Stadium in Kolkata. This was officially announced yesterday at a press conference by the tour organisers Celebrity Management Group at the Oberoi Grand hotel in Kolkata.

Kolkata's CMG have signed a contract with Argentina to organise two international friendlies for the South Americans in the subcontinent. So besides the game on September 2 against Venezuela in Kolkata, the Argentinians would play at Dhaka's Bangabandhu National Stadium against Nigeria on September 6. Both the matches are taking place on international FIFA match dates.

"The Argentina Football Association has indeed signed a contract to bring in the full-strength squad including Messi and Carlos Tevez among others," said CMG's Bhaswar Goswami.

"The contract guarantees their participation," he added.

The Argentinians are set to arrive on August 30 on a four/five day visit before flying across to Dhaka. The team would not only play the match; but also have some obligations as per the contract while in Kolkata like attending a charity program, a gala dinner, a football clinic for children and an open public training session.

Though the game is on a FIFA match date, how Argentina can guarantee the participation of their stars will have to be seen as due to the Copa America next month the quota of international matches will be close to full.

For both Kolkata and Dhaka it would be the biggest international friendly in their history with a former World Cup winning side to play, though Kolkata has been Argentina, Uruguay and other nations in action in the Nehru Cup in the past.

A big stumbling block ahead of the game could be the venue, the Saltlake Stadium. But there new West Bengal Sports Minister Madan Mitra has guaranteed all possible help to bring the stadium up to a certain standard which is suitable for the football stars. Focus would be laid on the changing rooms, toilets and the media enclosure, while there are also plans for special VIP hospitality at the game. But the stadium needs to be cleared by FIFA and for own India matches the stadium does not fulfil the minimum criteria.