Chile are now just a single victory away from a third consecutive summer of success, following their previous triumphs at the 2015 Copa America on home soil and the 2016 Copa America Centenario in the United States. They had to wait until penalties to see off Portugal in the semi-finals, with Manchester City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo emerging as the hero thanks to successive saves from Ricardo Quaresma, Joao Moutinho and Nani. On the balance of play across the 120 minutes, La Roja fully deserved to advance to the final: it was they who created the better scoring chances, while Bravo was relatively untroubled at the other end of the field. Just like last summer, it has often been said that the current generation of Chileans are now their past their best, but the character of the team cannot be doubted as they seek the country's first ever Confederations Cup trophy.
Germany’s decision to bring a second-string squad to the tournament does not seem to have done their chances of victory any harm, as Thursday’s 4-1 defeat of Mexico in the last four demonstrated. It was a thoroughly impressive performance from Joachim Low’s men, with goals from Timo Werner, Amin Younes and a brace from Leon Goretzka sealing a comprehensive triumph at the Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi. Germany look to have discovered a terrific balance between attack and defence, although they will surely find it tougher to break down Chile than they did Mexico, who were rather open at the back throughout the encounter.
Pizzi will probably be tempted to stick with the same XI that began the victory over Portugal, particularly as Bravo has now cemented his status as Chile's No.1 goalkeeper ahead of Johnny Herrera. The presence of Martin Hernandez alongside Charles Aranguiz and Marcelo Diaz in midfield helped to free up Arturo Vidal, who could continue in a free role behind Alexis Sanchez and Eduardo Vargas. At the back, centre-halves Gary Medel and Gonzalo Jara will hold a high line in order to squeeze the play and keep the side compact.
Low will continue with the 3-4-2-1 formation he has favoured for much of the competition, although Niklas Sule could return to the three-man backline in place of Bayern Munich team-mate Joshua Kimmich. Goretzka will almost certainly keep his spot in midfield ahead of Emre Can after his two strikes in the semi-finals, while Julian Draxler could be a key player as an inside forward on the left-hand side. At the top of the pitch, meanwhile, Werner’s recent goal return keeps him ahead of Sandro Wagner and Lars Stindl in the centre-forward pecking order.
Taking everything into account, it is probably worth backing Chile to come out on top on Sunday. Their superior tournament experience could prove pivotal in the final, while they have developed a knack for grinding out results when they need to. A Chile win is therefore the way to go here.
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