Brazil: Brazil know that their outstanding past record against Chile will count for nothing when the sides meet in an all-South American World Cup last-16 tie at the Mineirao in Belo Horizonte on today afternoon.
The tournament hosts have lost just eight of 68 previous meetings with Chile, and have emerged triumphant in all three past encounters in the World Cup, scoring 11 goals in the process.
That run includes a comfortable 3-0 win against Marcelo Bielsa’s Chile side at the same stage of the 2010 finals in South Africa, but midfielder Willian insists that Brazilian fans should not automatically expect a repeat performance.
Brazil have yet to live up to the high expectations surrounding them at these finals despite collecting seven points from a possible nine in the group stage. In contrast, Chile have impressed, notably in sending the holders Spain packing from the competition with a 2-0 win at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro.
However, Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has admitted that he would have chosen different opponents for his side than Chile, who drew 2-2 at the Mineirao in a friendly in April last year and narrowly lost 2-1 when the teams clashed in Canada last November.
Striker Fred, who scored his first goal of the tournament in Brazil’s 4-1 win against Cameroon on Monday, believes it will be an open encounter against a Chile side that operate with a three-man defence and look to the class of Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal going forward.
The 30-year-old said, Chile are tactically very strong and play with great commitment. And going forward they have players who can make the difference, we have seen some of their games. The way the tournament has been I think they will look to attack and Brazil will do the same.
Bureau Report
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