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Brazil (Seleção): Brazil coach Parreira spices up Chile encounter [Wed Aug 31st, 2005]
Despite Brazil entering the fray labelled as clear favourites against Chile, the CONMEBOL WCQ clash to be held in The Mané Garrincha Stadium in BrasÃlia (DF) is seen by Carlos Alberto Parreira as far from a walk in the park.
“We are the favourites without a shadow of a doubt, but, as anyone who’s been involved in football for a reasonable length of time knows, you don’t win matches by showing people your kit. In the last World Cup, France and Argentina were favourites and were knocked out in the first phase.â€
With classification for Germany in the balance, Brazil (2nd in the CONMEBOL table with 27 points to Argentina’s 31) will be looking for a win to avoid the last-minute heart attacks that Scolari caused before the 2002 cup.
The game will see a variation on Parreira’s usual Canarinha theme, Ronaldinho Gaúcho being suspended after clocking up three yellow cards in previous matches. The squad is currently preparing for the match in the habitual setting of the Granja Comary, Teresópolis (RJ).
With Robinho attracting the lion’s share of media attention in the Gaúcho’s absence, Parreira commented on the young gun. “Robinho is a worldwide attraction these days, basically the ‘xodó’ (favourite son) of the Brazilian fan.â€
After speculation as to the line-up flipped between Robinho on the bench and the pitch, Parreira put fans out of their misery by confirming the provisional line-up for the game. "Brazil are going on with the following formation: Dida; Cafú, Lúcio, Juan and Roberto Carlos; Emerson, Zé Roberto, Kaká and Robinho; Adriano and Ronaldo".
This sidelines Ricardinho, the Santos midfielder who played the first half in the friendly against Croatia and scored the seleção goal in the one-all draw. The veteran is unfazed by being benched. “The aim here is to classify ourselves for the World Cup finals: everything else – including personal feelings – is secondary.â€
Aaron Marcus
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