Flaco v Arias? Club World Cup draw could pit Palmeiras pair in quarters | OneFootball

Palmeiras could see an all-green clash in one of the most decisive stages of the World Cup. Flaco López, for Argentina, and Jhon Arias, for Colombia, could go head-to-head in the quarterfinals of the tournament, but that meeting depends on a combination of knockout-stage results.

Argentina’s task will not be simple. In the Round of 16, Flaco López’s national team will face Cape Verde, considered one of the biggest surprises of this World Cup after an excellent group-stage campaign. If they confirm their status as favorites and move on, the Argentinians will still need to beat the winner of the Australia vs. Egypt clash to secure a place in the quarterfinals.

On the other side of the bracket, Jhon Arias’ Colombia will take on Ghana in the Round of 16. If they advance, the Colombian side will face the winner of the Switzerland vs. Algeria matchup, with a place among the tournament’s final eight at stake.

That means a showdown between the two Palmeiras players will only happen if:

If both countries confirm their qualification, Flaco López and Jhon Arias will face each other in the World Cup quarterfinals, in a clash that will guarantee Palmeiras a representative among the semifinalists.

While Jhon Arias is an undisputed starter and one of Colombia’s standout performers in the tournament, Flaco López is in a different situation with Argentina. The striker is currently the last option in Lionel Scaloni’s attacking unit, but he got some minutes in the win over Jordan in the final round of the group stage and remains available for the rest of the World Cup.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.