France and Argentina will be involved in probably the first showcase event of the 2018 FIFA World Cup when they take on each other in the first of the eight round of 16 ties. Both the teams have yet to reach the heights. They have the potential to reach up to with Argentina just about making it past the group stage with the finest of margins. Hence, there will be plenty of nerves in Kazan which makes this match a nerve-wracking experience for the fans, but at the same time, it has the potential to provide a lot of entertainment for the neutrals.

France have a massive injury concern with star defender Samuel Umtiti who is a doubt for the big game. He will have to undergo a late fitness test to prove he is fit to feature against Argentina. Didier Deschamps will unleash all his big guns like Paul Pogba, Kylian Mbappe and skipper Hugo Lloris after they sat out the draw against Denmark. Benjamin Mendy should make it to the starting eleven for his first fruitful action in Russia, and he will likely keep Angel Di Maria on his toes. France vs Argentina, 2018 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 Match 1 Preview: Start Time, Probable Lineup and Knockout Match Prediction.

Antoine Griezmann holds the key for the Les Bleus as he is one man who can unlock defenses with his movement and skill. The heartbreak of losing the European Championship in 2016 is still fresh for the Atletico Madrid striker, and he would surely not want another failure at a major tournament. Paul Pogba is another player that has seen a lot of criticism in the season gone by and the stage can’t get grander than this for the Manchester United man to prove his detractors wrong.

Argentina needed a moment of brilliance from defender Marcos Rojo to prevail over Nigeria, and they certainly will be hoping it is a sign of better things to come. Lionel Messi too opened his account in Russia in their last game after low key performances against Iceland and Croatia. Jorge Sampaoli is expected to name an unchanged line-up against France as the playing eleven which triumphed over Nigeria looks the most balanced.

When is France vs Argentina Football Match, Time and Schedule:

The opening match of Round of 16, France vs Argentina begins the proceedings of the knockout stage of 2018 FIFA World Cup on June 30. The exciting clash will begin at 7.30pm IST and will be held at Kazan Arena. This will be the 12th encounter between the heavyweight sides with Argentina enjoying a dominating head-to-head record over France. In previous 11 outings, Argentina has won 6, drawn 2 while France managed with three victories.

France vs Argentina Football Match, is Live Telecast in India available?

Yes, the fans will be able to watch the live telecast of the England-Belgium match in India. The broadcasting rights of the FIFA World Cup 2018 are held by Sony Pictures Networks. England vs Belgium match of Group G will be live telecast on Sony Ten 2/Sony Ten 2 HD (English), Sony Ten 3/Sony Ten 3 HD (Hindi) and Sony ESPN (Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu) TV channels.

France vs Argentina Football Match; Is Free Live Streaming Available Online in India?

If the fans are not able to watch the match live on their television sets, there's nothing to worry as all 2018 FIFA World Cup matches can be watched online. The France vs Argentina World Cup 2018 match free live streaming is made available on Sony Liv. Also, fans can also catch up on the live updates of the game on LatestLY here.

There is a conspiracy doing the rounds that Jorge Sampaoli has lost the dressing room and that Messi, his skipper is the de facto coach. While Sampaoli was quick to dismiss such rumours the growing clout over his future will only go if Argentina dumps France out of the cup. Javier Mascherano’s form will be a worry though as he has looked way off the pace at times. Although the warrior-like spirit seems to be ever-present in the veteran, his overall contributions have not augured well for his nation. Expect, France and Argentina to be cautious for large parts and there is a growing feeling that one goal would be more than enough to settle this game.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 30, 2018 02:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).