The Russian national football team and Brazil, the World Cup 2014 hosts, will face each other in a friendly game at London’s Stamford Bridge stadium on March 25.

“My number one goal as the coach of Russia is to qualify for the World Cup and then to do well in Brazil in 2014,” Fabio Capello, Russia’s coach, told Chelsea’s official website. “There is no better test of how well the Russia team is progressing than to play the five times World Cup winners, Brazil coached by such a respected coach as [Luiz] Felipe Scolari.”

“With the match taking place at Stamford Bridge, which is close to the center of London, I hope there will be a big atmosphere with plenty of Russia fans, Brazil fans and other people who like to watch good football,” he added.

The fact that three Brazilian internationals – David Luiz, Ramires and Oscar – are currently playing for Chelsea may also help fill the stadium for the encounter. 

The game against Russia will be very important in order to prepare Brazil's national team for the Confederations Cup in 2013 and the World Cup in 2014,” Luiz Felipe Scolari, Brazil’s boss, explained. “Russia is a strong opponent and it is traditionally hard to play against them.”

Team Russia have never beaten Brazil in its modern history, losing three games and claiming a draw on one occasion.

USSR’s squad had better stats against the world’s top football nation, with three wins, a draw and five defeats.

The Soviet Union’s biggest success against the Brazilians came in the gold medal game of the Seoul Olympics where the team led by coach Anatoly Byshovets salvaged a 2-1 overtime win.  

Meanwhile, March 25 will also become a historic day for the Stamford Bridge arena as Chelsea's stadium, who used to be home to English football squad in the past, will host an international match for the first time in over 60 years.

A general view of Stamford bridge stadium (AFP Photo / Ion Kington)

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