Olympic Soccer 2016: Brazil vs. Germany Live Stream and Form Guide
Host nation Brazil will find Germany tough opposition when the two vie for the gold medal in the men's soccer final at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games on Saturday.
It's also a game that offers the former the chance to make up for the humiliating 7-1 semi-final defeat Germany inflicted on Brazil on home soil at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The match will take place at Rio's iconic Maracana Stadium and boasts some of the most prolific attacking players at these Games. In particular, Arsenal fringe forward Serge Gnabry will be under the spotlight after being chiefly responsible for firing Germany to the final.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
The hosts are no slouches in the final third, either. Not with Barcelona star Neymar and exciting prospect Gabriel Jesus both in top form.
Before a more in-depth preview, here are the schedule and streaming details, followed by the form guide for each team:
Date: Saturday, August 20
Time: 4:30 p.m. ET/9:30 p.m. BST
Live Stream: NBC Olympics, BBC Sport
| Stage | Brazil | Germany |
| Semi-final | Won 6-0 vs. Honduras | Won 2-0 vs. Nigeria |
| Quarter-final | Won 2-0 vs. Colombia | Won 4-0 vs. Portugal |
| Group Stage | Won 4-0 vs. Denmark | Won 10-0 vs. Fiji |
| Group Stage | Drew 0-0 vs. Iraq | Drew 3-3 vs. Korea Republic |
| Group Stage | Drew 0-0 vs. South Africa | Drew 2-2 vs. Mexico |
Preview
It's been a remarkable tournament for Gnabry, who has gone from forgotten boy wonder in north London to the leading goalscorer at these Games. The burly winger has netted six goals, per FIFA's official site.
More than the numbers, though, what Gnabry has done is remind everyone of the talent that was making him a breakthrough player at Arsenal during the 2012/13 and 2013/14 campaigns.
Unfortunately, a lengthy injury followed by a disastrous loan spell with West Bromwich Albion pushed Gnabry into the shadows. Yet his pace, perceptive movement, underrated physical power and keen eye for goal are all still there.
It's no wonder Gunners manager Arsene Wenger recently told reporters he is anxious for the 21-year-old to sign a new deal.
Yet, as good as Gnabry has been, Germany are far from a one-man show. Their forward line is aided by Maximilian Meyer's vision and skill, while the midfield is underpinned by Lars Bender's brawn and efficiency.
The Germans have the players to boss the ball in the middle and keep Brazil's flair players quiet, and there's every reason to want to silence Neymar and Co. His pace can terrorise any defence, while Jesus is a true livewire who knows how to exploit any space between the lines.
However, Brazil's key player might be midfielder Renato Augusto. The 28-year-old has a shrewd eye for a defence-splitting pass in the final third, and his vision is the key to the success of Neymar and those around him.
Germany would be wise to push one of Lars or Sven Bender into a man-marking role on former Bundesliga ace Augusto.
It's isn't just in attack where the Brazilians are strong, though. The presence of Paris Saint-Germain's Marquinhos has made this team a tough nut to crack, with no goals conceded so far.
His ability to cope with the Germans' movement and quick, one-touch combination passing will be the decisive factor in this final.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
