Former Switzerland striker Stephane Chapuisat has backed Vladimir Petkovic's team to cause Brazil problems in their 2018 World Cup opener on Sunday night.

Brazil are seen as the favourites to land the trophy this summer, and will fancy their chances of opening their Group E campaign with all three points.

However, Chapuisat - who played over 100 times for Switzerland - has tipped his former team to prove "difficult to handle" at the Rostov Arena.

"Brazil is one of the favourites of the tournament, but Switzerland are always difficult to handle, we are well organised and we can bother big teams," he told Goal.com. "But Brazil are still thinking about a World Cup at home that ended badly. They may have a big reaction.

"But it will be an interesting match and it will be a bonus for us if we achieve a positive result. The most important game for us will be the second against Serbia."

Switzerland have only lost once since the finals of Euro 2016, and held Spain to a 1-1 draw in one of their pre-tournament friendlies earlier this month.