Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of Brazil against Germany in the World Cup semi-final from Belo Horizonte.

Brazil begin in the ascendancy and have an early corner that is swung over by Oscar but it is defended with ease.

Germany get the game underway in their ‘away’ strip of red and black.

National anthems* done and dusted – and we are ready to go. David Luiz was holding a Neymar shirt during the anthem there. Incredible scenes.

With all the focus on Neymar’s injury, Germany have sort of come in under the radar but they your archetypal tournament team. However, there is a growing body of thought that if Joachim Loew fails to claim the World Cup then he could be sacked. This is set up to be an all-time great. Let’s hope so.

The host nation may have an added advantage though! A Brazilian voodoo priest has promised to curse Germany, and you can find the full details on that incredible story by clicking the link below.

The past is the past, though. This is now. So, as a pan-European organisation, we asked our offices across Europe a simple question. Can Brazil stop Germany without Neymar? You can find out the answer here:

However, Brazil reign supreme in the head-to-head: The teams have played each other 21 times, with Brazil winning 12, Germany four, and five draws. In all those games, Brazil have scored 39 goals, Germany 24.

Remarkably, for two perennial powerhouses who have won eight World Cups between them, this is only the second time Brazil and Germany have met in this competition. In their previous game, Brazil won the 2002 final 2-0 thanks to two goals from Ronaldo.

Another interesting narrative to this crucial game in one Miroslav Klose, who can move one goal clear of Ronaldo in the World Cup scoring charts if he bags. Klose is the sort of man who thrives in situations such as this. Here is an ode of sorts to the Lazio forward:

Our man in Brazil Reda Maher has found Germany fans in supremely confident mood while their Brazilian counterparts are still obsessing about Neymar. But he also reports on Joachim Loew’s broadside at Brazil physicality during this World Cup.

Germany coach Joachim Loew has fielded an unchanged team from the one that beat France 1-0 in the quarter-final, with Miroslav Klose, the only player to have featured in the 2002 World Cup final between the sides, starting as their lone striker.

So the big news has to be the inclusion of Bernard over Willian in place of Neymar. Considering Willian had seen more action prior to tonight then the smart money would have been on him. However, the tricky Bernard gets the nod in the city where he made his name. Dante has been drafted in to replace suspended captain Thiago Silva in central defence and midfielder Luiz Gustavo comes in for Paulinho in the other two changes.

Here is the physical team sheet for those of you that way inclined:

TEAMS – Brazil: Julio Cesar; Maicon, Dante, David Luiz, Marcelo; Luiz Gustavo, Fernandinho; Hulk, Oscar, Bernard; Fred /// Germany: Neuer; Lahm, Boateng, Hummels, Howedes; Schweinsteiger, Khedira; Muller, Kroos, Ozil; Klose.