FIFA World Cup 2018: Brazil v Switzerland

As one of the select favourites to win the Russia 2018 World Cup, Brazil’s first game saw them as clear favourites as they faced Switzerland, a nation that hadn’t progressed beyond a last 16 place at a World Cup since 1954. But the Swiss had lost only 1 of their last 23 games, to European champions Portugal and it was the expectation of many pundits and punters alike that this matchup may signal the return of Brazil’s ‘Joga Bonito’ (beautiful game) up against a tried and tested international defence. The term ‘unstoppable force meets immovable object’ comes to mind.

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Brazil’s 4-3-3 is set up to give attacking licence to their many creative talents while Real Madrid’s Casemiro would sit deep and protect his back 4 while covering for the side’s attack-minded full-backs when they push high. Brazil manager Tite hopes Gabriel Jesus’s work rate in leading the press and his dynamic runs to stretch opponents will unsettle even the most organised defence.

Vladimir Petkovic’s Switzerland have lost only once in regular time in their last 23 games and their typical 4-2-3-1 is very well disciplined and tactically astute. Behrami and Xhaka shield the back 4 and the full-backs rarely get caught high up the pitch. Seferovic is a bit of an old-fashioned centre-forward tasked with making the ball stick up front while Switzerland’s main creative threat comes from wide-right in the shape of Xherdan Shaqiri.