RAYYAN, Qatar (Reuters) - Poland coach Czesaw Mikhniewicz said on Tuesday before facing Argentina in a decisive World Cup Group C match that it would be a battle between two teams, not forwards Robert Lewandowski and Lionel Messi.
Poland leads the standings with four points and will qualify with a win or a draw. But it will bid farewell to the tournament if it loses, provided that Saudi Arabia defeats Mexico.
"Since the draw was made, the whole world has been waiting for this match."
"It's a match between Poland and Argentina, not between Lewandowski and Messi."
"It's not a tennis match, and it's a one-on-one game where everyone waits to see who hits the ace or magician." Robert needs his teammates, and Messi needs it."
Argentina have won six of their 11 matches against Poland, while the Poles won the last time the two teams met in 2011 in a friendly match.
"This match is not friendly," Mikhnevich said.
"It will be a battle between two teams that can still advance."
To achieve this, Poland will need to stop one of the best players of all time.
"It's a great question: how do we stop Lionel Messi?" Mikhnevich joked. "I think the whole world has been thinking about this for 18 years. I don't think we'll find out as long as he's still playing."