Brazil's next Golden Generation

The London Olympics get underway in mere hours.

The football, however, has already begun - with storylines aplenty.  North Korea's women have walked from the pitch in Scotland, heavily-fancied Spain were upset in their first match and finally, the football world is blessed to behold "Team GB".  True to British style, flattered to disappoint in their first match, a draw against Senegal.

And we will witness the rebirth of a football superpower.  

Brazil have stocked their squad with so much young talent that they must be considered firm favourites to collect their first football gold medal: AC Milan's Alexandre Pato, Manchester United target Lucas Moura, Chelsea's newest addition, Oscar, Santos star Ganso and finally perhaps the best Samba player to emerge since Ronaldo, their brightest star, Neymar.  

Most intimidating?  Each player on this list is 22 or younger.  Overage players include  Hulk - perhaps Europe's best player not playing in one of the big five leagues - as well as stalwart centre-back Thiago Silva.

The talent is so superior it doesn't just indicate favouritism for the Olympics, but also for the upcoming World Cup and beyond.  Not even Spain with Iker Munain, Juan Mata, Oriol Romeu and Javi Martinez can rival the Brazilians for pure, unadulterated skill.  

In fact, you arguably have to go back to the World Cup in Germany to find a Brazilian squad with this much natural ability - where Ronaldinho played in his pomp, Ronaldo and Adriano hadn't yet discovered the joys of pastry and Kaka was emerging as a real candidate for world's best player.  The last worldwide exposure we had to a Brazil team was in 2010 where a team of loping, playful souls were miscast as terriers by a terrier-like coach, Dunga.

This only juxtaposes the wellspring of youthful gifts on display.  The Olympic team is easily and obviously such a contrasts to the Brazil squads over the past half-dozen years that they should play with the joy of an uncaged puppy.  By employing senior team coach Mano Menezes as five-rings mentor, the FCB have also provided a direct link from the Olympic squad to the World Cup team.  

The football world should be sit up and take note of what promises to be a very amusing Olympic sideshow.  Because Brazil, so long the Olympic disappointment, won't be so this year.

Milan derby to decide Serie A

Rafael Benitez's short reign at Inter has already been overshadowed by the sparkle of his successor's. With the Nerazzurri following Brazilian Leonardo in a rapid climb up the Serie A standings, league-leading AC Milan appear scared of losing what, at one point, had been a double-digit lead in the points standings. Since Benitez's methodical approach was superseded by Leonardo just rolling the ball out and saying "Go play, boys", what was once a fifteen-point differential has been cut to two.

Both Inter forward Samuel Eto'o and Leonardo have gone on record as saying the derby won't decide the title race, but such talk is fatuous. This match is probably the most crucial in Italy for the entire year. Though there are several matches remaining for the season, a win for either could well mean the death-knell for their rivals' aspirations. Should the Rossoneri win, the gap would be five points again and breathing room. If the Nerazzurri triumph, they would overtake their nemeses and continue AC's poor-ish run of form - a mild slump which has seen their grasp on the title downgraded from "quite strong" to "quite shaky".

AC Milan are missing serial pest Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the man who has scored or assisted in over 40% of their goals this season, but could regain Andrea Pirlo from a lengthy injury-enforced absence. The loss of Ibrahimovic could well be compensated for by Nerazzurri centre-back Lucio, who is also suspended. Should Clarence Seedorf and Pirlo be required to play heavy minutes for Milan it could prove problematic as age and injury have currently robbed each of his ability to play ninety minutes of their best football.

It's likely that pace could prove the ultimate factor here as both defences struggle to cope with outright pace (doesn't everyone?) For Inter, the key will be - as always - Wesley Sneijder and his ability to get the ball to deadeyes Eto'o and Pazzini. His task will be made all the more difficult by the presence of Marc Van Bommel, the man for whom the term "Midfield Destroyer" was invented. The Rossoneri's speedy forward trident of Antonio Cassano, Robinho and Alexandre Pato are likely to be crucial in determining who will be Milan's (and probably Italy's) champion of 2011. Game on.