Uruguay vs Brazil
The upcoming match between Uruguay and Brazil is easily the pick of the litter here in the 2024 Copa America quarter-finals because it pits together two of the winningest sides in this competition.
Uruguay are through to the final eight after coming out of Group C with a flawless record, beating the USA, Bolivia, and Panama in the group stage, while Brazil only finished second in Group D behind Colombia.
Brazil were held to a draw by Costa Rica and Colombia, and if they won those matches, Dorival Junior’s men may have leapfrogged Colombia and could meet Uruguay later in the knockouts rather than in the quarter-finals.
Either way, SBOTOP football fans are in for a treat, especially those who will be watching this game at Allegiant Stadium.
Talking Points
Araujo iffy to play for Uruguay
Uruguay could be without one of their best attackers on Saturday, as Maxi Araujo was given the questionable tag against Brazil.
The Toluca wide-man, who has two goals in this tournament, had to be carried off the field after a head-on smash with USA and Fulham centre-back Tim Ream during the 26th minute.
Because sports leagues in general are extra cautious with head injuries and concussions, it wouldn’t be surprising if head coach Marcelo Bielsa sits Araujo, making Cristian Olivera a candidate to start alongside Facundo Pellistri, Darwin Nunez, and Nicolas de la Cruz up front.
Other than that, Marcelo Bielsa is not expected to make a surplus of changes in the starting XI, with Fede Valverde and Manuel Ugarte partnering in midfield and Nahitan Nandez, Ronald Araujo, Mathias Olivera, and Matias Vina forming their four-man backline.
This is one of the deepest squads Uruguay have had in recent years, as they also have Jose Gimenez, Rodrigo Bentancur, Giorgian de Arrascaeta, and Luis Suarez all ready to contribute off the bench when needed.
If Uruguay beat Brazil this weekend, there’s a great chance for them to make it back to the final, as they will take on the winner between Colombia and Panama in the semi-finals.
Brazil suffer huge frontline blow
Similar to Uruguay, Brazil are going to miss one of their best players this weekend, as Vinicius Junior is banned for one match due to an accumulation of yellow cards.
With the Real Madrid winger sidelined, head coach Dorival Junior may call on Endrick to start up front with Rodrygo, Lucas Paqueta, and Raphinha behind him.
If Dorival Junior isn’t keen on starting Endrick, then he may choose between Gabriel Martinelli, Savio, or Pepe to fill one of the wing spots that will likely be vacated by Rodrygo, who might take the No. 9 role.
There’s also competition in the other areas of the pitch, as left-back Guilherme Arana will be looking to displace Wendell, while Douglas Luiz, Andreas Pereira, and Ederson (of Atalanta) are competing for Joao Gomes’ spot in the middle of the park to link up with Bruno Guimaraes.
History
Uruguay are level with Argentina for having the most Copa America titles (15), and Brazil are right behind them with nine, with their last triumph being in 2019.
Brazil finished as the silver medalists in the previous edition of the Copa America, losing to Argentina 1-0 in the final, while Uruguay were eliminated by Colombia in the quarter-finals via penalties.
Brazil have the advantage in their head-to-heads against Uruguay, as they have 40 wins and 17 draws compared to La Celeste’s 22 wins in their previous 79 meetings in all competitions.
Uruguay broke their winless run against Brazil in their last encounter, as they came away with a 2-0 result during a 2026 World Cup qualifier match in October 2023. Before this, La Celeste lost four straight against the Samba Boyz.
Betting Tip
As expected, the Copa America 2024 odds predict a tight contest between Uruguay and Brazil on Saturday night. Brazil were given the slight edge at 2.56 odds, whereas Uruguay are right behind them at 2.75, and a draw is at 3.06 in the 1X2 market.
Brazil may have been underwhelming in this tournament so far based on their lofty standards, but they still have another gear in them, and this is the perfect time for them to flip the switch.
Even if the Samba Boyz won’t have Vinicius Junior, they are still capable of putting up Copa America 2024 highlights this weekend, as well as La Celeste. So, other than our recommended bet above, you may want to consider alternatives like Over 2.25 at 2.12, Over 2.50 at 2.44, or Total Goal 2-3 at 1.90.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT))
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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