Brazil vs England - Team News, Match Preview & Likely Line-Ups

MaracanaVenue: Maracana Stadium Date: Sunday, 2nd June K/o: 20:00

Team News

Brazil are expected to field three Premier League players in this evening's glamour friendly with England at the Maracana Stadium. David Luiz, Oscar and Julio Cesar are all expected to start, as is new Barcelona signing Neymar. England will be without striker Daniel Sturridge, who has been ruled out by a ankle ligament injury, while Jermain Defoe is also a doubt with an Achilles problem. Danny Welbeck has an outside chance of pairing Wayne Rooney up front, but lacks match fitness.

Key Stats

This is the second time these two nations have met this year. The Three Lions prevailed in a 2-1 win back in February thanks to strikes from Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard. This is however England's first visit to the Maracana since 1984, when John Barnes and Mark Hateley secured a famous 2-0 win for the visitors. February's 2-1 win over Brazil was England's first triumph since 1990. The game on Sunday marks the official reopening of the Maracana before the 2014 World Cup - these two teams also met to mark the senior England side's first competitive game at the new Wembley in 2007. (Goal.com)

Likely Line-Ups

Brazil Cesar, Alves, Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Marcelo, Fernando, Paulinho, Neymar, Oscar, Moura, Fred England Hart, Johnson, Cahill Jagielka, Cole, Carrick, Milner, Oxlade-Camberlain, Lampard, Walcott, Rooney Now click "Next" for our Match Preview.
Contributor
Contributor

Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.