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We have finally reached the quarterfinal stage of the 2018 World Cup, and only 8 games stay between us and a new world champion. In the second of these games, Belgium will take on Brazil at the Kazan Arena.
Belgium registered a dramatic 3-2 comeback against Japan, while Brazil put in a commanding 2-0 win over Mexico in the RO16. Brazil have slowly settled into their favorites tag, while Belgium has 4 wins in 4 games so far.
Brazil's Casemiro is suspended for the game, and it leaves the midfield with more work to do. But fortunately for them, key players have come to form and will be raring to go against the Belgian defense.
Belgium, on the other hand, had to dig deep to beat Japan and the momentum will prove valuable to them when they take on a more experienced Brazil. Man for man, the two teams are very similar, and it promises to be the clash of the tournament.
There are a few individual players who will lock horns in this encounter, and the winner of these battles will take their teams a little closer to the eventual victory. Here's a look at 3 such battles:
#1 Coutinho vs Kevin De Bruyne
While the two are not likely to fight for the same ball between themselves, this is where the contest is most likely to be decided. In a match between two such equally matched teams, there is a big chance that one moment of magic is what decides the victor - and who better than these two magicians?
Coutinho has so far been stellar for Brazil, and with Neymar and Willian coming into form, his job becomes all the more easier. All he has to do is feed them balls from the back, but at times Coutinho finds himself playing too far back.
It is the same story for De Bruyne as well. After helping Manchester City win the PL as their quarterback, he is now playing the same role for the Belgium team - albeit from a much more deeper position. Just like Coutinho, the players around him have been in excellent form and De Bruyne's job is made all the more easier.
De Bruyne, unfortunately, is pitted almost as a DM and is being not utilized to his full potential. Maybe after De Bruyne had a big hand in the winning goal against Japan, Martinez will come to his senses and play him in a more advanced role.
As the teams face off against one another, it is up to these two deep-lying playmakers to pepper the box with their teasing long balls, and hope that one of them would make the difference.
#2 Eden Hazard vs Fagner Lemos
After Dani Alves was declared unable to play at the WC, the right back position was what concerned most Brazilian fans. It was the one position that Brazil did not have sufficient depth in, and looked most vulnerable.
But after missing the first game against Switzerland, Corinthian's Fagner has made the position his very own and has been stellar so far for Brazil. He might not be as advanced as Dani Alves or Marcelo (then again, who is?), but he adds a quality of defensive stability that has been missing.
Against Belgium, he will have to come up against Eden Hazard - and judging by Hazard's form so far in the tournament, Fagner must not have slept last night. Hazard has been at his exceptional best playing for a Belgian side that plays exactly to his strengths, and he has been both scoring and assisting for the team.
His runs on the left are what will cause Brazil most of their headaches, and he can also slot into the middle and curl balls into the box for Lukaku or Mertens to finish. All in all, it will be a busy night for Fagner and Silva - and of course, for the fans of both sides.
#3 Neymar vs Vincent Kompany
The battle on the opposite end of the pitch will see Vincent Kompany try to limit Neymar in everything he tries to do, and any stemming of that will do a world of good for Belgium's chances.
After being not fully fit for the first two games, Kompany is back to full fitness and goes straight back into the squad - as he should. While Belgium managed to beat Japan, they will find it much harder to keep up with the Brazilians in terms of skill and pace, and Neymar is at the top of both.
Kompany has become a seasoned defender, and despite being extremely injury prone he is considered one of the best in the business. But stopping Neymar is a whole other thing. Kompany needs to put in his best, and anything short of that will see Neymar and Brazil running away with the win.
There was a mixed response to starting Kompany against Japan, and his performance was not well received. However, whether Martinez will risk dropping such a big name for the biggest game of his career so far remains to be seen.
Despite playing on the left, Neymar will spend a lot of time in the box and will make runs into the box behind the defenders at every conceivable opportunity. This is where Kompany's experience will come into play, as he has had his experience with such sneaky players, and he also has the experience of dealing with Gabriel Jesus in training sessions.
