Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Nations League match.
Brazil kick off their Nations League campaign against one of the weakest teams in the competition. This clash with Iran offers the perfect chance to make a strong opening statement. The Iranians are deep in crisis and are unlikely to put up much of a fight.
Brazil
Ranked 7th in the world, Brazil tend to be ruthless and efficient against lower-ranked opposition, recording straight-set wins over Egypt, Australia and Chile. They’ve won six of their last nine matches, including victories over Germany (No.8) and taking at least a set from Italy (No.5), Poland (No.1), and the USA (No.3). Brazil have now beaten Iran 12 times in a row — and in 10 of those matches, the winning margin was at least 10 points.
Iran
Currently ranked 15th, Iran had a dreadful Nations League last year, winning just two matches — and even those against the USA and the Netherlands were more down to luck than form. In most other fixtures, they were thoroughly outclassed, losing to even the likes of Bulgaria (No.19) and Turkey (No.17), who ended near the bottom of the table. Their only warm-up ahead of the new campaign was a straight-set defeat to Italy, with an 11-point gap.
Brazil vs Iran Prediction
The gulf in quality is significant and reflected in the head-to-head record. Brazil are in solid form, and with full focus, should have no trouble dispatching a struggling Iran side.
