Italy will be playing in one of the high-profile friendly matches that is scheduled during this international break. The European team will be playing against five-time World Cup winners Brazil in a friendly match. Ahead of this match, Italy have been talked up as the favourites to secure the victory due to their better form for the last few matches. Brazil, on the other hand, recently appointed Luiz Felipe Scolari as replacement for Mano Menezes after a poor run of results. The new manager, though, is yet to secure his first victory in his second spell as the Brazil manager.

The first match for Scolari ended in defeat against England. Brazil come into the match ranked very low in the recent FIFA rankings due to their poor showings in recent major tournaments. Since the 2002 FIFA World Cup victory in Japan, Brazil have been unable to dominate the showpiece event from FIFA. The next event will be taking place in Brazil, which puts a lot of pressure on the nation to deliver. Prandelli has said that Brazil should not be treated as underdogs because they are one of the best nations in the world when it comes to football.

He has spoken about the talented players within the Brazil squad including Santos striker Neymar. “Are we the favourites against Brazil? That seems an exaggeration. Yes, they are seeking their identity, but never lost that spirit. They have extraordinary quality and their own style of football. We are not the favourites, but we hope to make life difficult for them tomorrow. Brazil are seeking the right team for the World Cup and this is a generational change. They will be prepared for the tournament as hosts,” said Prandelli.

He has praised Neymar by saying that he could become the best in the world.