Croatia vs Brazil

Education City Stadium, 8.30pm

Midfield battle to determine end result

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 unbelievable. Croatia have Modric, Brozovic and Kovacic – the trio central to all the pieces 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 – the truth is, 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 inclined to go away 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 whether 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 lined a distance of roughly 16.70km, setting a report for probably the most distance run in a World Cup match (breaking his personal earlier report of 16.33km within the semifinals of the 2018 World Cup in opposition to England).

While it’ll rely on Croatian full-backs to include Vinicius and Raphinha, most of their build-up play is orchestrated by Neymar. On paper, the responsibility to cease Neymar lies with centre-back Dejan Lovren. But the Brazilian has outclassed him on every of the thrice they’ve confronted off. So, the accountability falls on Brozovic – the defensive midfielder who will defend 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 to cease Brazil.