A reminder of the teams.The hell you care.
Palmeiras (possible 4-2-3-1)Weverton; Giay, Gomez, Fuchs, Piquerez; Rios, Martinez; Estevao, Allan, Mauricio; Roque.Substitutes: Lomba, Rocha, Vanderlan, Mayke, Micael, Naves, Moreno, Anderson, Veiga, Evangelista, Paulinho, Torres, Luighi, Thalys, Lopez.
Botafogo (possible 4-3-3)John; Vitinha, Jair, Barboza, Telles; Allan, Danilo, Freitas; Artur, Jesus, Savarinho.Substitutes: Raul, Linck, Ponte, Marcal, Kaio, Ricardo, Cuiabano, Montoro, Rodriguez, Newton, Cruz, Nathan, Correa, Mastriani, Cabral.
RefereeFrancois Letexier (France)
You’ll notice there’s an Allan on each side, so if during the course of this MBM you read Allan (P), Allan (B), Allan (Palmeiras), Allan (Botafogo) or Allan (FFS which one is it), that’ll be why.
“Minute-by-minute updateson something that no one cares about seem unnecessary,” says Thomas Pedersen.
Bloody hell Thomas, you’re right. Well thanks for joining us. We’ll be back in July with live coverage of something somebody cares about. Goodnight!
Thanks to Stephen for pointing out that the kick-off timeis midday in Philadelphia, not 1pm as suggested by somebody with the inability to complete the complex maths puzzle: 17-5=?.
This is a good read on the impact of the four Brazilian teams in America
Palmeiras make five changes from the side that started their 2-2 draw with Inter Miami. Agustian Giay, Bruno Fuchs, Emiliano Martinez, Allan and Mauricio replace Marcos Rocha, Murilo, Lucas Evangelista, Facundo Torres and Raphael Veiga.
Paulinho, who scored two late goals in the 2-2 draw with Inter Miami, remains among the subs. The starting XI also includes the exciting teenage forward Estevao, who will move to Chelsea after this tournament.
A single change forBotafogo, with Danilo – no not that one, or that one, though he did play in Europe for Nice, Benfica, Braga and Valencia – replacing Gregore in midfield. There are some familiar faces to Premier League obsessives: Alex Telles, once of Manchester United, and Allan (Everton) both start.
Palmeiras (possible 4-2-3-1)Weverton; Giay, Gomez, Fuchs, Piquerez; Rios, Martinez; Estevao, Allan, Mauricio; Roque.Substitutes: Lomba, Rocha, Vanderlan, Mayke, Micael, Naves, Moreno, Anderson, Veiga, Evangelista, Paulinho, Torres, Luighi, Thalys, Lopez.
Botafogo (possible 4-3-3)John; Vitinha, Jair, Barboza, Telles; Allan, Danilo, Freitas; Artur, Jesus, Savarinho.Substitutes: Raul, Linck, Ponte, Marcal, Kaio, Ricardo, Cuiabano, Montoro, Rodriguez, Newton, Cruz, Nathan, Correa, Mastriani, Cabral.
RefereeFrancois Letexier (France)
It’s June, a football World Cup is taking place and everyone is talking about Brazil. But the more things stay the same, the more they change. This is aclubWorld Cup, Brazilian success has caught Europe by surprise – and much of it has been achieved through defensive excellence rather than our old friend J. Bonito.
If the Fifa president Giovanni Infantino is ever the subject of a kiss and tell – oh I’m sorry, I didn’t realise you were eating – don’t be surprised to read that, not unlike David Mellor, he likes to do his worst while wearing a replica top: in Gianni’s case it would probably be one ofPalmeiras, Botafogo, Flamengo and Fluminense, the four Brazilian teams who have breathed life and soul into his unloved competition.
Even if European teams dominate the knockout stage, the impact of Brazil’s finest will an abiding memory of the inauguralClub World Cup. That knockout stage begins with a – heat permitting – mouthwatering tie: Palmeiras v Botafogo, the first meeting at this competition between two teams from the same country. (I think it’s the first at any Club World Cup since 14 January 2000, when Corinthians beat Gary Neville’s Vasco da Gama on penalties in the final, but it would take an age to check every tournament since then and the nugget on offer just isn’t worth it.)
Palmeiras topped a group that included Inter Miami and Porto;Botafogobeat PSG – the first in 13 years that the champions of South America have been their European equivalent – and eliminated Atletico Madrid.
The winners will play Benfica and Chelsea on this ground on Friday. Given how much this means to all four Brazilian teams, the losers may not go quietly.
Kick off5pm BST, 12pm in Philadelphia.