Brazil look to bounce back from Copa woe

Brazil exited the Copa after a woeful showing in the penalty shootout

With just the Confederations Cup and a selection of friendlies standing between them and the 2014 World Cup they will host, Brazil know that they must take their game against Germany - live on ESPN UK at 1945 BST on Wednesday - seriously.

The clash will be the first meeting of the two nations since June 2005, when Brazil beat their hosts 3-2 in a Confederations Cup semi-final in Nuremberg. Recently, though, Mario Menezes' failed to impress at the Copa America, less so in their penalty shoot-out defeat to Paraguay when they missed all their spot kicks, and much more will be at stake in three years' time if they do not sort out the endemic problems.

The attacking talents of Neymar, Pato, Robinho and Ganso struggled in Argentina, but still showed glimpses of their incredible potential. A more experienced side could combat some of the naivety that will surely feature in a young side.

Germany, for their part, will be missing two of their most impressive performers, Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira, as they are required for Real Madrid's pre-season preparations ahead of the two-legged Spanish Super Cup against Barcelona and could be short of experienced internationals in midfield.

The impressive Bastian Schweinsteiger will still make his mark, likely alongside Bayern team-mate Toni Kroos, but Dortmund's youth are well covered with call-ups for Sven Bender, Mario Gotze and Ilkay Gundogan.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the age scale, German legend Michael Ballack has turned down the option of a 'farewell' match against the Brazilians, claiming that such an idea was ''a farce''. The fact that 54,767 fans have sold out Stuttgart's Mercedes-Benz-Arena suggests perhaps that others place more importance in the fixture than the former German captain. Brazil's players may be among them.

Germany player to watch: Manuel Neuer. The new Bayern Munich goalkeeper was the subject of ire from his own fans before he had even signed for the club and was thrust into the glare after a mistake in his competitive debut against Borussia Monchengladbach led to a shock 1-0 defeat. The stopper has class, though, and will be keen to cement the No.1 spot at international level with a commanding performance back between the sticks.

Brazil player to watch: Alex Pato. Tipped for a few years to be the replacement for Ronaldo in the Brazilian side, the striker has not made the giant leaps expected of him. For Milan he dovetails well with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but has looked a little isolated when asked to play as a lone striker for his country. Pace, power and deadly accuracy are all part of his repertoire and it should not be long before he is viewed as one of the best in the world.

Key Battle: Mario Gotze v Neymar. The young Dortmund midfielder has been tipped as 'Germany's Lionel Messi' by legend Franz Beckenbauer and will continue to show his skills in the Bundesliga next season after snubbing a move. In this sense, and many others, he is like Brazilian Neymar who is also being tracked by Europe's elite but seems content to stay with Santos. Both players are young, technically excellent and have the ability to change a game with their dribbling and vision.

Trivia: ECA chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge was opposed to the game, saying: ''I know that Brazil is an attractive game. But this slot has to be scrapped, and the (post-season) June dates as well.'' The game will also be broadcast in 190 countries.

Stats: Germany have only beaten Brazil three times, while the Samba stars have won 12 of their 25 games. In Women's internationals though, Germany have never lost against Brazil.

Odds: Germany (2.40), Brazil (2.90) and the draw (3.30) are on offer with bet365 and Germany to win 2-0 will get you 12.00.

Prediction: Friendlies are often tough to call, but Brazil will be highly motivated to succeed. One feels that the home advantage and a sprinkling of youth in the German side, though, may pay off.