Brazil v Italy: Prandelli's young team to give Scolari another headache

21Mar 2013

Betfair

A tasty blast of international football begins with a sumptuous fixture in Switzerland as Brazil and Italy do battle. Sumeet Paul looks at a game between two footballing heavyweights...

Italy face Brazil in Geneva on Thursday night, in an international fixture between two of the most highly decorated and respected countries in the game.

Despite being classified as a friendly these two proud football nations know there is much at stake and as Andrea Pirlo put it earlier this week, when Italy are involved, and especially when the opponents are Brazil, there is no such thing as a 'friendly'.

Following on from their impressive showing at Euro 2012 the Azzurri have continued to develop under the guidance of Cesare Prandelli, and currently top their World Cup qualifying group as Malta await their arrival next Tuesday.

Italy have acquired many new admirers for their style of football under former Fiorentina coach Prandelli, who has laid the foundations for future success on a young crop of players that can represent the national side for years to come.

He will hope to use this game as a measure of their evolving maturity but also to attain answers about their future prospects when tested against difficult opposition.

The clash in Switzerland is a mere preamble to this summer's main event with the Confederations Cup taking place in Brazil. The Italians will be present, but they will ultimately be focused on the immediate challenges ahead.

Despite impressing on the biggest stages their record in friendlies under Prandelli is woeful, with the draw against the Netherlands last month ending a run of five consecutive defeats.

In addition, Italy haven't beaten Brazil since Paolo Rossi's sensational hat-trick back in the World Cup in 1982. Since that encounter, the two sides have met five times, with the Seleçao winning the last two games comfortably by two and three-goal margins respectively.

However, hope does exist for the Azzurri following Brazil's defeat against England at Wembley last month, a game that marked the return of Luiz Felipe Scolari.

'Big Phil' does not have the luxury of time with the pressure building to provide immediate results with failure on home soil next year simply not an option. That could work in Italy's favour and they look worthy of a small investment to win, despite the likelihood that Prandelli will use the game to test different personnel.

Injury has denied Scolari the chance to field the likes of Ramires, Paulinho and Lucas Moura, but in Neymar, Hulk and Oscar he still has a quality-laden squad at his disposal.

However, the Brazilian defence will face an inspirational Mario Balotelli who has been in great form since his switch to Milan in January, scoring seven goals in six games for his new club.

A focal point for Prandelli since his appointment, 'Super Mario' is expected to lead the line along with team-mate Riccardo Montolivo and Roma's Pablo Osvaldo in an attacking trident tested in training on Tuesday.

This game has the makings of a thoroughly entertaining clash between two heavyweights of the international scene, and with it being played as if it were a competitive game, drama is likely to ensue.

Italy have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last four outings, while Brazil have gone three games without shutting out their opponents.

That suggests there are definitely goals in this game, and Prandelli could be set to receive further encouragement while simultaneously piling more early misery on Scolari.

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