Brazil will approach their Copa America opener against Venezuela with caution here on Sunday after seeing arch-rivals and hosts Argentina held 1-1 by lowly Bolivia
|Last Updated: Jul 02, 2011, 11:04 PM IST|Source: Bureau
Buenos Aires: Brazil will approach their Copa America opener against Venezuela with caution here on Sunday after seeing arch-rivals and hosts Argentina held 1-1 by lowly Bolivia on Friday.
Venezuela, ranked 68th in the world, are well used to being the whipping boys of their continent but Bolivia have already shown that success requires more than turning on the `jogo bonito` (beautiful game).
Brazil will thus be on their guard in the knowledge that their opponents reached the quarter-finals last time out, albeit at home.
Moreover, Venezuela nudged Peru and Bolivia down to the bottom of the rankings in the last regional World Cup qualifying tournament, proving that the baseball-loving Caribbean nation are no mugs with the ball at their feet these days.
Brazil coach Mano Menezes, in his first tournament in charge after succeeding the maligned Dunga last summer, says he knows there is a certain "pressure" to deliver a third straight continental crown, as well as show the Selecao are on track for their own World Cup in 2014.
"But I am feeling calm, as we have been working very well. A little tension is normal at the start of a tournament," Menezes told reporters on Friday at the team base in Campana, north of Buenos Aires.
Menezes says he wants to take the game to the Venezuelans but is aware that shocks can and do occur -- witness the fact that Cesar Farias` men managed a goalless draw in Brazil in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.
"They will do their utmost to make life difficult for Brazil," Menezes predicted. "We will have to dictate the pace and play well."
Pace should not be in short supply and with a three-pronged attack in the shape of Robinho, Alexandre Pato and Neymar waiting to spring on their rivals, the outcome should be a formality."We know where we are and what we are about in facing Venezuela at the Copa America," says Menezes, who is refusing to think about the latter stages of the event.
"We do not have to think about either Argentina or Uruguay as they are not our current rivals. For now it`s about the group -- Venezuela, Paraguay and Ecuador," concluded Menezes.After Venezuela, the auriverde go up against Paraguay in Cordoba, where they will then complete their group programme against Ecuador on July 13.
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.