Brazil vs France: Match preview, predicted line-ups, team news and prediction | OneFootball

Brazil take on France in an international friendly match at Gillette Stadium in Massachusettes, United States on Thursday evening.

The two sides have not met since a friendly encounter in 2015, where Brazil won 3-1.

Match preview

Brazil finished fifth in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers, 10 points behind leaders and defending world champions Argentina.

The Selecao have won just two of their last four matches, raising concerns over their readiness for the biggest football showpiece.

Brazil are expected to qualify as winners in Group C, where they will face Morocco, Egypt and Haiti. However, questions remain on how far they can go in the competition.

By contrast, France are one of the favorites for the tournament.

The 2018 champions topped Group D of the European World Cup qualifiers, albeit in a group featuring less fancied opponents such as Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Iceland.

France have been drawn alongside Senegal and Norway in Group I. They will be joined by one of the six teams that qualify from the play-offs.

Coach Didier Deschamps, who will reportedly be replaced by Zinedine Zidane, will be aiming to bow out strongly.

This fixture offers him the chance to test his side’s preparedness ahead of the World Cup.

Team news

Brazil will be without Arsenal’s centre-back Gabriel, first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker and former Juventus star Alex Sandro.

Bradley Barcola, Jules Kounde, William Saliba and Manu Kone are all sidelined through injury for France.

Predicted line-ups

Brazil (4-2-3-1): Ederson, Wesley, Gleison Bremer, Marquinhos, Danilo, Andrey Santos, Casemiro, Raphinha, Matheus Cunha, Vinicius Junior, Joao Pedro.

France (4-2-3-1): Mike Maignan, Malo Gusto, Ibrahima Konate, Dayot Upamecano, Lucas Digne, Aurelien Tchouameni, N’golo Kante, Desire Doue, Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappe.

Prediction

We fancy a 3-2 win for France.