Brazil vs Spain

Brazil have no injury worries and are expected to field the same team that beat Uruguay for Sunday’s final against Spain. 

Selecao boss Luiz Felipe Scolari has named the same starting XI in three of his side’s four matches and is unlikely to make changes, although out-of-form striker Hulk’s place may come under threat.

Spain have no injuries to report and are at full strength for the Maracana clash.

Cesc Fabregas and Roberto Soldado have shaken off muscle injuries and could return to the side after sitting out the penalty shoot-out victory over Italy.

• Brazil are unbeaten in 10 matches, winning their last five. They have not lost a competitive game at home since 1975.

• The five-time world champions have won four of eight previous meetings with Spain (W4, D2, L2), but the two countries have not faced each other since 1999.

• Brazil handed the Spanish their heaviest-ever World Cup defeat in 1950. They won 6-1 at the Maracana before going on to lose to Uruguay in the final.

• Four of Brazil’s Confederations Cup squad play their club football in Spain.

• Spain are on a record 29-match unbeaten run in competitive matches, stretching back to the 2010 World Cup (W24, D5).

• La Roja’s only competitive win over Brazil came in the first round of the 1934 World Cup.

• Spain have won their last six encounters against South American opponents in all competitions, including friendlies. The last Latin American side to beat Spain was Argentina in a friendly in September 2010.

• Fernando Torres  has scored five goals in his last three appearances for Spain.

La Roja reached the Final with a win over Italy in a penalty shoot-out, while the Selecao needed a late winner from Paulinho to hand them the win over Uruguay.
Italy would have been worthy opponents for the hosts, but while the Azzurri have already played Brazil twice this year, Spain and Brazil have met just once in 23 years.
As Cesc Fabregas points out, “We know that the only thing left for us to do is beat Brazil. If we achieve that we will give ourselves a new challenge to see if we can win the World Cup again.”
The two teams have played each other eight times, with Brazil winning four and Spain two – a friendly in 1990 and in the first round of the 1934 World Cup.
Brazil’s biggest win over Spain is 6-1 in the final round of the 1950 World Cup.
However, Arbeloa remains confident ahead of the match at the Maracana.
"We don’t feel under pressure to win this trophy,” the 30-year-old saus. “It’s the one which we still have yet to win and winning it by beating Brazil in Brazil would just be the icing on the cake.
“South American team tends to give us more problems. They are more hardened, they demand more from us and we struggle more against them. We are more used to facing European teams.
“But we are making history and, for all of us, our biggest motivation is pride.”