Brazil have a plan for Messi: Tite

Brazil coach Tite has admitted he has devised a plan to try and deal with Lionel Messi on Thursday but dismissed the idea a single player could decide the contest.

The Selecao host Argentina at the Mineirao in World Cup qualifying this week

And after Brazil-based Argentina striker Lucas Pratto stoked the fire by claiming Brazil are afraid of Messi, Tite has insisted he cannot allow his side to focus solely on the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.

"You can limit their impact. You can try to decrease the number of chances, but I am not telling you how I will try to do that," Tite told reporters in Belo Horizonte on Wednesday.

"There are several players can make a difference and decide games.

"I do not agree that victory depends on a single player. At some point he may shine, but only because the collective is working well.

"On the pitch there will be [Philippe] Coutinho, [Gonzalo] Higuain, [Angel] Di Maria, Douglas Costa, Gabriel Jesus. There are many players with great technical qualities that, in an individual play, in a moment of creation, can make the big difference.

Tite's side have won four successive qualifiers since his arrival and lead Conmebol's race to Russia 2018. They are five points clear of sixth-placed Argentina, who are winless in their past three matches.

"The fact that Argentina are outside the qualification places doesn't boost our confidence," Tite added.

"We have not qualified yet. If you look four rounds back we were back where they are now. We are all aware of this."