International Friendly: Brazil vs Uruguay

Brazil vs Uruguay

The Emirates in North London is the place to be on Friday night when the Samba Boys come to town to take on their big rivals, Uruguay.

This International Friendly: Brazil vs Uruguay is a fantastic opportunity for UK football fans to see some of the stellar talents of world football, though plenty of the big names on show already grace the top leagues in Europe. There’s an attacking feel about the game and not just from Brazil, as Uruguay boast two of the most clinical hit men in the sport.

“Friendly” is something of a misnomer for this clash. The word isn’t the first word that springs to mind when two of the world’s best teams collide, especially when it involves Uruguay! Oscar Tabarez will be keen to ensure his side gives Brazil a tough game, though Brazil vs Uruguay odds seem to suggest it’s a tall order.

Talking Points

Brazil have some of the Premier League’s biggest stars

Fans flocking to the Emirates will be hoping to see PSG’s Neymar in action, and they’ll be there to weigh up whether he would be a good fit in the Premier League. His undoubted skill can turn a game in the blink of an eye, and the former Barca man makes it his aim to grab the headlines. Sometimes they are less than complimentary, and English football fans will be ready to scorn if he rolls around under a tackle.

Alongside Neymar, fans will be able to see some familiar faces lining up for the Selecao. Alisson Becker is likely to start in goal and he’s made a strong impression on the league since his record-breaking switch to title-chasing Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp’s team is harder to break down now, and Alisson knows how to command a penalty area. His Liverpool team-mate, Roberto Firmino, will probably be on show, too, as will Chelsea’s wingman Willian.

And, of course, one of the most exciting young talents in the Premier League, Gabriel Jesus, will be itching to get at an Uruguay defence which is lacking some of its biggest names.

Tite’s Brazil are full of flair but they can scrap out a win as well and won’t be easy to score against, battling to a 1-0 victory over Argentina last month.

Uruguay: The best form of defence is to attack

International Friendly Brazil vs Uruguay: Diego Godin to miss the Sky Blues match versus Brazil and France — Atletico Madrid and Uruguayan defender Diego Godin suffered a muscle injury during their La Liga match versus Athletic Bilbao

Uruguay will be without the Atletico Madrid centre-back pairing of Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez, which means the Brazil front-line won’t be facing the meanest defensive duo in European football. But this is not a team which just relies on defence. Uruguay had an impressive campaign at Russia 2018, and it was a case of “what might have been” when they dominated France in the first half of their quarter-final before going out to the eventual champions.

Up front, Tabarez has one of the most feared strike partnerships in world football. They may have been around for a while, but Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez showed at the World Cup that they can still carve the best defences apart when they are in top form. Suarez has been on fire in La Liga, sharing the top-scoring table with Barca team-mate Lionel Messi at nine goals so far.

In the middle of the park, Rodrigo Bentancur can be a big presence in Uruguay’s team. The young Juventus midfielder is assured on the ball and is uncompromising in the tackle. He has the potential to become one of the best players in the world if he continues to progress at the same rate.

History

These are two famous football nations, both in the elite group of World Cup winners. Brazil won the most with five, but La Celeste have two World Cup titles in their rich history.

But it’s the Selecao which arrive in London in the best form. Brazil are on a four-match winning streak and have won their last eight friendly games, while Uruguay have back-to-back defeats.

Since Tite took over, Brazil won 24 from 30 games, 23 of those with a clean sheet, and head-to-head Brazil vs Uruguay results favour his team. Since 1950, Brazil won seven to Uruguay’s three, and are unbeaten in the last nine meetings. The last coming together was in a 2017 World Cup qualifier which Brazil won 4-1 thanks to a Paulinho hat-trick.

Betting Tip

	Brazil vs Uruguay	Brazil 1X2 @ 2.10
	November 17, 04:00 (GMT+8)

Brazil are strong favourites to win this with SBOBET odds at 1.52, the draw is at 3.90 and Uruguay are a long way out at 6.00.

The spread is one goal with Brazil at 1.96 -1.00 and Uruguay at 1.96 +1.00. But I think it may be more comfortable for the Samba Boys than that. Uruguay’s depleted defence will face an attacking force which is used to playing in England, and I really can’t see it holding out for 45 minutes.