Croatia vs Brazil
Education City Stadium, 8.30pm
Midfield battle to resolve consequence
Ageing Croats can’t afford to let Neymar & Co have a free run
Average age: Croatia: 28.9; Brazil: 28
Average top: Croatia: 5’98”; Brazil: 5’98”
Likely beginning 11
Croatia: 4-3-3
Livakovic; Juranovic, Lovren, Gvardiol, Sosa; Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic; Kramaric, Petkovic; Kovacic
Brazil: 4-1-2-3
Becker; Sandro, Marquinhos, Silva, Danilo; Casemiro; Neymar, Paqueta; Raphinha, Richarlison, Vinicius
Defining space: Midfield
The high quality of gamers in the course of the park for this tie is unimaginable. Croatia have Modric, Brozovic and Kovacic – the trio central to every part they do on the sphere. Brazil, in the meantime, boast the likes of Neymar, Pacqueta and Casemiro. But right here’s the place the similarities finish.
While Brazil’s midfield – in actual fact, their attackers general – are younger and pacy, Croatia’s ageing midfield comes into this match on the again of a tiring Round-of-16 encounter that went to penalties. While Modric, Brozovic and Kovacic management all play, they’re additionally susceptible to depart huge areas within the center, which Brazil might simply exploit.
Brazil, due to their sheer high quality, are additionally set to create extra possibilities. So, it actually comes down as to if the skilled Croatian midfield can preserve a good form and smother the Brazilian machine in order to cease them from taking part in free-flowing soccer. On the opposite hand, if Brazil handle to isolate Croatia’s midfield, that’ll be battle half-won for them.
Key battle: Brozovic vs Neymar
Brozovic can run. Against Japan within the Round of 16, he coated a distance of roughly 16.70km, setting a file for probably the most distance run in a World Cup match (breaking his personal earlier file of 16.33km within the semifinals of the 2018 World Cup in opposition to England).
While it’ll depend upon Croatian full-backs to include Vinicius and Raphinha, most of their build-up play is orchestrated by Neymar. On paper, the obligation to cease Neymar lies with centre-back Dejan Lovren. But the Brazilian has outclassed him on every of the 3 times they’ve confronted off. So, the accountability falls on Brozovic – the defensive midfielder who will protect the four-man again line – to maintain a good leash on Neymar and cease him from combining with Richarlison, which has been Brazil’s most well-liked path to assault.
If Brozovic fails to include Neymar, it’s laborious to see how Croatia will be capable of cease Brazil.
