Neymar and Brazil will face Chile Saturday in the Round of 16. (USATSI)
Brazil vs. Chile Kickoff 6/28 12 p.m. ET Stadium Mineirao Belo Horizonte
Match Preview It's very simple for Brazil Win the entire World Cup or else the entire nation will be disappointed.
Certainly that's a touch melodramatic well maybe but it's not too divorced from the truth. Anything short of the championship for this side swimming in talent will be at least upsetting and it would be disastrous for their run to be ended by a South American team that hasn't beaten them in 10 years.
This is a long way of saying that the pressure is on Brazil.
But let's not get all weepy for a team boasting the likes of Neymar Fred David Luiz Hulk Oscar Dani Alves the list goes on. It's an embarrassment of riches as it often is for the Brazilians and they'll have the added advantage of a partisan crowd Saturday.
And Neymar. Oh Neymar. He's been arguably the best striker of the tournament thus far notching four goals in Brazil's three group games.
But Chile doesn't expect to be a pushover winning twice to take second in Group B. They first took care of business against Australia winning 3 1. Then in a must win for the defending champs Chile blanked Spain 2 0. They were humbled by the Netherlands in their final group match getting shut out 2 0 but Chile has plenty of positivity heading into Saturday's match with Brazil.
But if there was any hope for the Chileans that they could sneak up on mighty Brazil that doesn't appear to be in the works. Brazil manager Luiz Felipe Scolari warned of Chile's talent after the group draws in December and even said that he hoped they didn't get through to the second round.
I'd prefer any other side Scolari said of Chile in December. They're an awkward team to play. They're organized and their system doesn't fit in with ours. They're intelligent and a good side.
It appears the message has gotten to his players as well.
They have players with a lot of quality. It's always difficult to play a team like that Brazil midfielder Luiz Gustavo said according to the Associated Press. We don't think about what happened in the past. We have to think about what's in front of us now. Now it's a different story with new players. Anything is possible.
True. Anything is possible. But is Chile going to beat Brazil on its home soil Saturday at the World Cup Seems unlikely.
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