<p>The two soccer super-heavyweights clash in a friendly at Atletico Madrid's Vicente Calderon stadium with both nations safely qualified for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.<br /><br />But whereas Spain cruised into the finals, winning all 10 qualifiers, two-time champions Argentina lurched from one crisis to another and just squeezed through as the fourth and last South American qualifier.<br /><br />Now Maradona, under whom Messi has failed to hit peaks on a consistent basis, wants the Barcelona star to stamp his undoubted authority on his mis-firing team.<br />"He must be the owner of the team. He knows it. We have the best player in the world in our team," said Maradona.<br />"We will give him lots of responsibility. He is doing the work that I have asked of him. I am very happy with Messi."<br />Argentina trained behind closed doors yesterday with Maradona refusing to indicate who will start in tomorrow's high-profile clash.<br />"Everyone says Spain will be the favourites, but if I thought this then my players wouldn't thank me," he said. "Spain are a great side." <br /><br />After tomorrow's clash, Maradona will face a FIFA disciplinary committee to explain his sexually-explicit rant after his team's World Cup qualification was secured thanks to a 1-0 win over Uruguay in October.<br />The 48-year-old, a sporting icon in Argentina after skippering the 1986 World Cup winning team, told journalists to "suck it and keep sucking it".<br />Meanwhile, Sevilla winger Jesus Navas is in line to make his international debut against Argentina.<br />Liverpool duo Fernando Torres and Albert Riera, as well as Villarreal's Santi Cazorla and Marcos Senna, all miss the game through injury.<br />Spain will also face Austria in Vienna on Wednesday in another friendly.</p>
<p>The two soccer super-heavyweights clash in a friendly at Atletico Madrid's Vicente Calderon stadium with both nations safely qualified for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.<br /><br />But whereas Spain cruised into the finals, winning all 10 qualifiers, two-time champions Argentina lurched from one crisis to another and just squeezed through as the fourth and last South American qualifier.<br /><br />Now Maradona, under whom Messi has failed to hit peaks on a consistent basis, wants the Barcelona star to stamp his undoubted authority on his mis-firing team.<br />"He must be the owner of the team. He knows it. We have the best player in the world in our team," said Maradona.<br />"We will give him lots of responsibility. He is doing the work that I have asked of him. I am very happy with Messi."<br />Argentina trained behind closed doors yesterday with Maradona refusing to indicate who will start in tomorrow's high-profile clash.<br />"Everyone says Spain will be the favourites, but if I thought this then my players wouldn't thank me," he said. "Spain are a great side." <br /><br />After tomorrow's clash, Maradona will face a FIFA disciplinary committee to explain his sexually-explicit rant after his team's World Cup qualification was secured thanks to a 1-0 win over Uruguay in October.<br />The 48-year-old, a sporting icon in Argentina after skippering the 1986 World Cup winning team, told journalists to "suck it and keep sucking it".<br />Meanwhile, Sevilla winger Jesus Navas is in line to make his international debut against Argentina.<br />Liverpool duo Fernando Torres and Albert Riera, as well as Villarreal's Santi Cazorla and Marcos Senna, all miss the game through injury.<br />Spain will also face Austria in Vienna on Wednesday in another friendly.</p>
