Lionel Messi Targets Title Jinx as Copa America Kicks Off

While Lionel Messi has been the key figure in
Barcelona's emergence as the dominant force in
club football over the past decade, he has yet to
taste victory in an Argentina shirt, a gold medal
in the 2008 Olympics aside.
Argentina are favourites to end a 22-
year trophy drought when the Copa America
kicks off here Thursday as a resurgent Brazil
chase redemption following their ill-fated
campaign at last year's World Cup. ( Battle for
the South American Crown: Who Will Win the
2015 Copa America? )
One of the most eagerly anticipated Copas in
years gets under way in Santiago, with hosts
Chile launching the three-week extravaganza of
South American football against Ecuador in
Group A at 8.30pm (2330 GMT).
The 12-team tournament is a convention of
football's deadliest attacking talents, with a
galaxy of Europe-based stars including Lionel
Messi, Neymar, James Rodriguez, Alexis Sanchez
and Edinson Cavani set to shine.
The competition also comes as a welcome relief
to South America's governing body CONMEBOL,
which has been battered by corruption
allegations in the ongoing scandal which has
rocked world football.
Argentina captain Messi and Brazilian
counterpart Neymar head to Chile less than a
week after inspiring Barcelona to their
Champions League triumph in Berlin on Saturday,
the final act of a glittering treble-winning
season.
Both No.10s are carrying the weight of
expectation on their shoulders, with Messi
determined to finally taste glory at a major
international tournament with Argentina and
Neymar aiming to erase the memory of last
year's World Cup.
-Pointt to prove? -
While Messi has been the key figure in
Barcelona's emergence as the dominant force in
club football over the past decade, he has yet to
taste victory in an Argentina shirt, a gold medal
in the 2008 Olympics aside.
"Our aim is to win this year," said Messi, who
fell agonizingly short of ending Argentina's jinx
in an extra-time defeat to Germany in last year's
World Cup final. "It's great to play with the
national team, to wear the shirt and to be
captain," Messi added. "But getting a title would
be the ultimate for me."Messi may feel he has a point to prove, four
years after being jeered by his home fans during
Argentina's quarter-final exit to eventual winners
Uruguay.
Argentina open their campaign against Paraguay
on Saturday, and should comfortably progress
from a Group B which also includes Uruguay and
Jamaica, one of two teams from the CONCACAF
region invited to bolster the tournament.
The biggest threat to Argentina's hopes of
topping the group is likely to come from
defending champions Uruguay, who are bullish
about their chances despite the absence of
suspended talisman Luis Suarez. The holders
will instead look to Paris Saint-Germain striker
Cavani to provide the cutting edge in attack.
Cavani heads into the tournament after notching
31 goals in all competitions for the French giants
this season, a haul which has reportedly made
him a transfer target for Manchester United this
summer.
- Brazil on track -
Brazil and Neymar meanwhile begin their
campaign against Peru in Group C on Sunday.
Brazil's biggest challenge of the first round
comes three days later when they face Colombia
on June 17, a rematch of the two sides' bruising
World Cup quarter-final last year.
That stormy encounter was notable for a series
of rugged Brazilian challenges on Colombia star
James, although Brazil's 2-1 win came at a
price, with Neymar suffering a broken vertebra
that ended his World Cup.
Brazil's World Cup dream was ultimately
demolished by Germany in the next round, when
the hosts were humiliated 7-1 in the semi-finals,
before losing 3-0 to the Netherlands in an abject
third place play-off display.
Fast forward a year however and Brazil, under
the guidance of former coach and 1994 World
Cup-winning captain Dunga, are back on track.
Dunga's men have reeled off nine straight
victories since the World Cup and will feel
confident of reaching the Copa final in Santiago
on July 4.
Dunga, who coached Brazil to their last Copa
America win in 2007, belie