WORLD CUP DIARY

BRAZIL and Serbia are camped on opposite sides of the street. The Brazilians are using Al-Arabi’s stadium and the Serbs using the Qatari club’s training facilities. Rumours are swirling that Brazil have been using drones to spy on their Group G rivals. But Serbia boss Dragan Stojkovic wasn’t troubled. ‘I don’t believe they spied on us,’ said Stojkovic. ‘Even if they sent drones I don’t know what they’d see. Not very much to be honest.’

ISSUES around the OneLove armband continue to ripple around Doha. Wales, among the teams denied the chance to wear it, have installed rainbow corner flags. And Jan Vertonghen of Belgium summed up the feeling of those teams ahead of their game last night against Canada. ‘I’m afraid if I say something I might not be able to play,’ said the former Spurs defender. ‘It’s an experience I’ve never felt in football before. I feel controlled.’