Thursday 12/06/2014, 22:00, World Cup Group A, Brazil vs Croatia

Brazil vs Croatia Betting Preview

Expectations are as high as they get for Brazil, as the World Cup is played in front of their fans and they have one of the best teams in the tournament. Bookies widely regarded as the main favorites to lift the trophy and they will be given no lenience if they happen to commit any errors. The opening game against Croatia is not supposed to be terribly difficult, yet this is the toughtest opponent for the Brazilians.

Brazil vs Croatia Betting Odds

At Bet365

Brazil 1.30, Draw 5.00, Croatia 11.00

Brazil vs Croatia Betting Tips

The Brazilian championship is in full swing, but with most of the players competing in Europa, fatigue is not going to be a problem. Home pitch advantage and the fact that players are comfortable with playing under the Brazilians sun should be an advantage, especially with the games being scheduled rather early.

One of the key advantages that the hosts have is that their opponents will be crammed in their own half, wary of the South Americans' offensive prowess. Croatia makes no exception and their objective is to survive the group stage and join Brazil to the elimination round as runner ups.

They're probably fairly confident in their chances of advancing to the last 16, but they are fully aware of the threat posed by Mexico. Their group rivals will be playing just a few hours later against Cameroon, in a game that they start with the first chance, but could go either way. This only adds pressure on the Europeans, who will be forced to take more chances upfront, if Brazil takes an early lead.

This is the most likely scenario, as the hosts will be featuring a 4-3-3 starting formation with Neymar spearheading the offensive. They are aware of Croatia's defensive issues and know that the Europeans are most dangerous when allowed to send a hail of balls towards their tall strikers, waiting inside the box.

Key Facts

• Brazil won the World Cup six times so far, but it's been 12 years since their last success and anything less than a final would be regarded as a major setback.
• Croatia has a stiff and rapidly aging back line, which will most likely succumb under the relentless attacks unleashed by Brazil's offensive trident.

Brazil vs Croatia Betting Odds Prediction

The odds for a home win are ridiculously low, even for a team that plays in front of its fans and is credited with the first chance to win World Cup 2014. Punters might have a hard time resisting the urge of backing Brazil at full stakes, so they are advised to trust them to cover the -1.5 goals spread. At the time of writing, the odds revolve around even value with Bet365, but they are very likely to drop as kickoff draws near.

Bet: Brazil -1.5 goals @ 1.95 with Bet365