21.03. (Thu) 20:30 Italy - Brazil

PROBABLE LINEUPS

ITALY
Buffon
Barzagli, Bonucci, Ranocchia
Pirlo
Abate, Marchisio, Montolivo, Giaccherini
Balotelli, El Shaarawy

BRAZIL
Julio Cesar
Dani Alves, David Luiz, Thiago Silva, Filipe
Fernando, Luiz Gustavo
Hulk, Oscar, Neymar
Fred

Italy and Brazil go toe-to-toe on Thursday evening, with Cesare Prandelli hoping to guide his side to their first victory against the South American giants in over 30 years.

However, the Azzurri coach is unlikely to be able to call upon powerful centre-back Giorgio Chiellini who is a doubt for the match after aggravating an ankle problem in training. Therefore Andrea Ranocchia could be in line for a starting spot in defence.

Prandelli is expected to start with AC Milan team-mates Mario Balotelli and Stephan El Shaarawy in attack, while Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio and Riccardo Montolivo should form the midfield.

Luiz Felipe Scolari has had a number of injury problems to contest with following his second squad selection since replacing Mano Menezes as coach of Brazil.

Lucas Moura withdrew after taking a knock while representing Paris Saint-Germain against Nancy earlier this month, but was replaced by another pacy wide player in Sao Paulo's Osvaldo. Deep-lying midfield duo Paulinho and Ramires have both pulled out due to injury, and so a previously untested pairing of Fernando and Luiz Gustavo will feature in front of the back four.

Scolari has been testing out a 3-5-2 formation in training but it is more likely that he will begin with the tried and tested 4-2-3-1 line-up.

DID YOU KNOW?

Italy have not tasted victory against Thursday's opponents for over 30 years. A Paolo Rossi hat-trick guided the Azzurri to a 3-2 win in the 1982 World Cup.

An outing for Gianluigi Buffon will take him to within one appearance of the second most-capped Italy player ever, Paolo Maldini.

Mario Balotelli has been in scintilating form since joining AC Milan in January with seven goals in six Serie A appearances for the Rossoneri.

Brazil ran out as 3-0 winners when these two nations last met in the 2009 Confederations Cup. Only three players from the squad for that game could feature on Thursday.

The Selecao famously defeated the Azzurri on penalties to win the World Cup in 1994. Roberto Baggio missed the decisive spot kick.

Scolari lost his first game back at the helm of the national team as Brazil succumbed to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of England last month.

Brazil are currently in 18th position in the Fifa Rankings, their lowest rating since the classification's inception.

Prediction
In a fixture which is steeped in rich history, it may finally be Italy's time to end a period of over 30 years without defeating Brazil. Under the wing of Luiz Felipe Scolari, the Selecao remain a largely youthful team who are still in transition. The involvement in competitive fixtures of the past years could grant the Azzurri a slight advantage over their South American opponents, who may find it tough against an experienced Italy team.

Editor's Prediction
Italy 2-1 Brazil

International Opta Facts - March 22nd

Scotland v Wales
Scotland and Wales have met 106 times in all competitions, with the Scots leading the head-to-head by 61 wins to 22 (23 draws).
In World Cup/European qualifiers, Wales are unbeaten in three against Scotland, winning two and drawing one.
In all competitions, Wales have won four of their last five against Scotland, including the reverse fixture in October (2-1 in Cardiff).
In each of the last six games that Wales have scored in, Gareth Bale has been one of the players on the scoresheet (seven goals).
Wales have lost seven of their last eight away games in all competitions, winning the other against Bulgaria.
It has now been 44 games since a game involving Wales last ended in a draw (0-0 v Germany in November 2007).
Scotland are unbeaten in eight games on home soil in all competition, winning five and drawing three.
Going back further, Gordon Strachan's side have lost just four of their last 26 in front of their own fans, with those defeats coming against the heavyweights of Spain, Netherlands, Argentina and Italy.
Only San Marino (35) have faced more shots on target in this WCQ campaign than Wales (32).

Sweden v Republic of Ireland
Sweden have won three and drawn one of their four previous competitive meetings with Republic of Ireland, though they last met in a qualifier in 1970.
Since then, the sides have met twice (both in friendlies) with Ireland picking up the victory each time (five goals scored, none conceded).
Ireland's record goal-scorer Robbie Keane scored in the previous meeting against Sweden in March 2006.
Ireland have only lost two of their last 21 away internationals, winning nine and drawing 10.
Giovanni Trapattoni's side have kept eight clean sheets in their last 13 internationals on the road.
Since a 0-1 defeat to England in November 2011, Sweden have only failed to score in one of 16 internationals in all competitions.

Northern Ireland v Russia
Russia are unbeaten in five previous clashes with Northern Ireland (including as Soviet Union), winning three and drawing two.
Both draws between these two sides, however, have occurred in their two clashes in Belfast, with Russia winning all three home games against Northern Ireland without conceding a goal.
Russia have only lost one of their last 24 internationals in all competitions, winning 13 and drawing 10.
Roman Shirokov has scored in Russia's last three internationals and in four of their last six, including a goal against Northern Ireland last September.
Northern Ireland are winless in 12 international games (D5 L7) since defeating Faroe Islands 4-0 in August 2011.

San Marino v England
England have won their three previous meetings with San Marino, all in World Cup qualifiers, netting 18 times and conceding just once.
An England player has netted four goals in two of the Three Lions' three previous clashes with the European minnows (David Platt and Ian Wright).
England's average of six goals per game against San Marino is their joint-best against any of the 87 different nations they have faced in international football (level with Jamaica).
The Three Lions have lost only one of 13 internationals under Roy Hodgson (W8 D4).
Wayne Rooney has scored four goals in his last three internationals combined.
England, who lost their last away game 2-4 in Sweden, have not lost consecutive internationals on the road since 1993, when they lost three in a row under Graham Taylor. Interestingly, they ended this run with a 7-1 victory in San Marino.
The Three Lions have won eight and lost just one of their last 11 away qualifiers (Word Cup & Euro), drawing two.
Tom Cleverley made 145 and completed 140 passes in England's reverse meeting with San Marino at Wembley in October, both records for England since Opta started full analysis of England's fixtures.
Danny Welbeck has scored five goals from just five shots on target at international level.
San Marino have lost their last 50 internationals, scoring only seven goals in total in that run.