FIFA Confederations Cup Final: Brazil Vs Spain- Match Preview

Venue:Maracana Stadium, Rio De Janerio

Referee: Björn Kuipers

Probable Lineups:

Brazil: Julio Cesar, Dani Alves, Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Marcelo, Luiz Gustavo, Paulinho, Oscar, Hulk, Neymar and Fred

Spain: Casillas, Arbeloa, Ramos, Pique, Alba, Xavi, Busquets, Fabregas, Pedro, Soldado, Iniesta

Five time World Cup winners, Brazil take on reigning World and European Champions Spain at Rio de Janeiro’s iconic football stadium, the Maracana for the FIFA Confederations Cup final. Football pundits label tonight’s fixture as a ‘Dream Final’. The two teams have met just once in the last 23 years, in an international friendly match back in 1999, which ended goalless.

The Brazilians will have to display their best performance and improve their strike rate against La Roja for them to stand any chance of winning this tournament during Sunday’s mouthwatering Maracana showpiece. The Samba boys are unbeaten in 10 matches, winning their last five and have not lost a competitive game at home since 1975. Without a doubt, the Spanish team are likely to dominate possession. To counter this, Brazil will have to be clinical and deadly in front of goal as Big Phil will be expecting his boys to put on an impressive show against Del Bosque’s side.

“We achieved our goal of getting to the final and giving the players a sense of unity and the fans an idea that we have a good team that can get to the final of the World Cup,”-Felipe Scholari

Felipe Scolari will opt for a 4-3-2-1 formation against ‘The Spanish Fury’. Brazil have a strong goalkeeper in Julio Cesar, and a solid rock defensive partnership in David Luiz and Thiago Silva. The latter must overcome the defensive errors he committed in Brazil’s matches against Italy and Uruguay. Daniel Alves and Marcelo will operate down the flanks, rampaging forward to provide fine crosses into the box. Youngsters Luiz Gustavo, Paulinho and Oscar will be expected to anchor the midfield. Brazilian sensation Neymar will start alongside Hulk and Fred in the Brazilian attack. Oscar is likely to play a pivotal role in the Samba attack against the Spanish defence. Zenit striker Hulk will be handed a tough task of stopping the potential impact of Barcelona full-back Jordi Alba.

The full-backs are an integral and a vital part of Spain’s tactical game plan and Brazil will have to put a stop to it somehow. Carefully devised and planned changes can help the Brazilians outwit the Spaniards. Luis Gustavo, who has been playing the role of a defensive midfielder throughout the tournament, must stop the potential and combined attacks of Iniesta and Xavi, and try to disrupt and damage the Spanish midfield.

“It is now the time to end the era of Spain”- Carlos Alberto Parreira, Technical Director of Brazil.

Coming to the Spanish team, Del Bosque will use his tactical master plan to suppress the Brazilian attack with his 4-3-3 formation. Real Madrid’s Iker Casillas is in fine form. Spain are unbeaten in 29 competitive games (W24, D5) since their surprise 1-0 defeat to Switzerland at the 2010 World Cup. Gerard Pique and Sergio Ramos, who both are physically fit and strong in the tackle, will form the central defensive partnership. Elsewhere, Jordi Alba and Arbeloa will operate as left back and right back respectively.

Xavi, Fabregas and Busquets will form the central midfield hub, forming Spain’s desirable passing and possession based tactical set-up. Cesc Fabregas and Soldado have shaken off their injuries (muscle) and could return to the starting line up. Real Madrid right back, Alvaro Arbeloa, will have to put a decisive stop to Neymar’s influence on the game, as he is a natural finisher and a goal creator. But Marcelo is just the right man to support Neymar at the back, and at the same time stop Arbeloa. In the Spanish attack, Pedro and Iniesta will start alongside Valencia’s Roberto Soldado.

Predicted Score: Brazil 3 – 2 Spain