Neymar's presence leaves Brazil team-mates open and other key tactics against Switzerland

Chris Bailey 18:30 17/06/2018
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  • The World Cup hasn’t truly started until Brazil come to the party and they face a stubborn if unimaginative Switzerland first up in Russia.

    Neymar, fully fit after his injury worry, leads a scary looking line-up but the Swiss have a habit of making things tricky – having conceded just seven goals in 10 qualification games.

    Below, we outline some of the key tactical points set to play out in the Rostov Arena on Sunday.

    NEYMAR’S A SPACEMAN

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    Possessing one of the world’s best footballers does not make for a particularly exciting team – as Lionel Messi‘s Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Portugal (well, at least before that draw) can prove.

    Brazil are excitement in its purest form – but that’s not all because of Neymar. Coach Tite is savvy enough to know that he’s been blessed with far more than just one crown jewel.

    “If the ball arrives to Neymar, they mark [him],” Tite once explained. “But the other side is more exposed … we take Neymar to one side, let him be isolated and make room for another.”

    Flick back through Brazil’s 3-0 friendly win over Austria and you can tell exactly what he means. It was almost comical at times as Neymar, Philippe Coutinho and Gabriel Jesus drew a horde of defenders down the left, giving Willian the freedom of Vienna on the right.

    Switzerland must not be drawn like moths to the flame and they shouldn’t be, given their heavily structured play. But expect Willian and Paulinho to be on your screens as much as Neymar and Coutinho nevertheless.

    NO SWISS ROLLOVER

    GranitXhakaArsenal

    The Swiss will trot out in a 4-2-3-1 formation, their shape almost exclusively under Vladimir Petkovic over the last four years. If he could get away without playing a central striker he’d be glad to, such are their paucity of options up front.

    The key area against Brazil will be the double pivot screening a generally sturdy defence as effectively as possible in the face of the Brazilian artillery.

    Enter Granit Xhaka. His name has elicited enough groans from Arsenal fans over the last two years but with Switzerland, he is a far more commanding presence when alongside a player who frees him of some of the more onerous defensive duties.

    Will that be Valon Behrami, the old warrior, or new kid on the block Denis Zakaria? Zakaria, of Xhaka’s old club Borussia Monchengladbach, is more mobile but has discipline problems – just like Xhaka. It’ll be interesting to see who Petkovic chooses.

    WIDE OF THE MARK

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    Brazil are not without their imperfections. In fact, they were lucky not to concede in that victory over Austria and of particular worry is their wing-backs.

    In the first half Austria peppered the Brazilians from both the left and the right as uninterested trackers and an out-of-position Fagner and Marcelo suffered deeply with overlaps.

    Marcelo has always blown hot and cold with his defensive duties though his talents on the attack more than make up for it – usually.

    But there should be concern over Danilo, starting at right-back after Dani Alves was ruled out due to injury. He is about the only player not to have enjoyed a fine debut season for an all-conquering Manchester City in the Premier League last year.

    The only alternative is Fagner, an excessively diminutive option who has barely had exposure to club football outside of Brazil. The likes of Ricardo Rodriguez and the talented Breel Embolo could pick at this particular scab on Brazil’s right.

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