Brazil vs Colombia in Copa America 2015 has become Neymar vs James Rodriguez… but can either lead their country to glory?

Brazil and Colombia face repeat of World Cup quarter-final showdown
Neymar starred in Brazil’s opening win, while James Rodriguez flopped
Real Madrid star will need to inspire Colombia to a result to keep Copa America dream alive
Colombia will be all but eliminated if the lose second game in a row
Brazil take on Colombia in Santiago on Wednesday night

Published:
12:12 GMT, 17 June 2015

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Updated:
16:01 GMT, 17 June 2015

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Almost exactly a year ago, at the end of last summer’s World Cup, Neymar was lying injured watching his Brazil team crash out of the tournament in embarrassing style, while James Rodriguez was being hailed as a new force in world football.

One year on, and as pair prepare to face each other in a crucial Copa America clash, the tables have turned.

Neymar bounced back from his injury to help Barcelona to a second treble in six years, and started the Copa America with a goal and a wonderful assist.

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Neymar and James Rodriguez are the two key players when their sides meet on Wednesday in Santiago

While James suffered a trophiless season with Real Madrid, Neymar won the treble with Barcelona

The Brazil captain headed home his side’s quick equaliser in their 2-1 win over Peru in the first game

Neymar then played a sumptuous pass to Douglas Costa to help Brazil nick a last-minute win

Colombia star James was far from his best as Colombia suffered a shock opening defeat to Venezuela

The Brazilian poster-boy is, more than ever, more even that last summer, the centre of his country’s team, and the only hope if they are to taste glory.

James, on the other hand, has endured injury issues of his own this season, missing a long period between February and April when Real Madrid lost significant ground in the title race.

His return to fitness and the first team was not enough to inspire a comeback, nor was his presence able to take Real to a Champions League semi-final victory over Juventus.

Injuries aside James has enjoyed a good first season in Spain, contributing 13 goals and 13 assists, but he has not always made the difference when it mattered, and he substituted early in both legs of the Copa del Rey defeat to city rivals Atletico.

Then, come Colombia’s Copa America opener against Venezuela the galactico seemed to disappear.

Neymar suffered an horrific injury at the hands of Juan Zuniga during the 2014 World Cup quarter-final

The injury has left bad blood between the two nations, which was exacerbated by a ‘friendly’ last September

Neymar was taken off with a fractured vertebra and missed Brazil’s shocking 7-1 defeat to Germany

James meanwhile was one of the stars of last summer’s World Cup, scoring this stunner against Uruguay

Although the performances of top scorer Radamel Falcao and new hope Carlos Bacca were noticeable, neither were as poor on the night as James, who scarcely offered anything in a team set-up for him to be the star.

His night was summed up when he was booked, late on, for kicking the ball away, a sign of impetuousness in a game he found frustrating.

Now, the pair come face to face for the first competitive international since last summer, when a nasty match left both thoroughly the worse for wear.

Brazil were incensed, last summer, when Neymar’s World Cup was ended by a sickening Juan Zuniga challenge, while Colombia, while James was kicked to pieced by the hosts in that game, much to his team-mates’ fury.

Since then the sides have met in an optimistically-termed friendly which saw Chelsea’s Juan Cuadrado sent off while wild challenges flew in from both sides.

James and Neymar have had contrasting seasons, and dramatically different starts to the Copa America

The Colombia No 10 will hope to have a bit more space against Brazil than he was afforded by Venezuela

Both camps have played down the idea of a repeat of last July’s carnage, with James insisting, ‘It’s not revenge, it’s one more match,’ but Brazil boss Dunga knows there will be an edge to the game.

‘The rivalry’s been big since the World Cup,’ Dunga said. ‘At the Copa America it will be a difficult match, like all of them have been at this Copa America.’

Colombia in particular need to put revenge firmly from their minds, and focus on the game in hand, as they fight for their place in the quarter-finals in Chile.

While Brazil can seal a quarter-final spot with victory, Salomon Rondon’s goal, and Los Cafeteros’ inability to muster many attempts of their own, have left Colombia stranded at the bottom of Group C.

Even though at least two, and possibly three teams from the group will progress, a second defeat could leave Colombia as good as out by the time they play Peru in their final fixture.

James was poor in his country’s first game, and Colombia need to bounce back to avoid early elimination

But the Real Madrid star looked in a relaxed mood as he spoke to press ahead of Wednesday’s game

With Colombia on the brink of elimination if they lose, they will need their star to step up and be counted.

James may have more space than in his country’s opener, if Brazil continue to play the surprisingly open game they employed against Peru, although with the fiercely pragmatic Dunga in charge that may change.

Either way, for Colombia to progress from what had looked a straight-forward enough group, the Real Madrid star has to return to the form that earned him his move last summer.

Brazil, meanwhile, may just hope that, unlike the last time they met Colombia in a crunch game, they leave with their talisman in tact.