Brazil in the Confederations cup
June 15, 2005
Gilberto may start the first game in Brasils ‘Confeds Cup’ campaign.
Their fixtures go like so:
Jun 16 2005 Brasil v Greece 19.45
Jun 19 2005 Mexico v Brasil 17.00
Jun 22 2005 Japan v Brasil 19.45
Here is the match preview from ESPN:
Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira is stressing the need for speed when his side make their Confederations Cup debut with a Group B match against Greece in Leipzig on Thursday.
For world player of the year Ronaldinho, just generating some noise would be nice.
‘It’s been too quiet,’ Ronaldinho said from the confines of the team’s secluded hotel near Cologne.
‘I’ve never seen anywhere as quiet as this. We really need a big change.’
A 40,000 crowd will pack the Zentralstadion in Leipzig to give Ronaldinho his wish but the world champions are not expecting an easy night of it.
‘We’re going to need more speed in our play if we’re going to beat Greece,’ Parreira said as the team left for Leipzig. ‘They are very efficient in defence.’
Ronaldo is missing from the Brazilian squad, after the Real Madrid forward was given an extended holiday, but Adriano is back after scoring twice for Inter Milan in the first leg of the Italian Cup final against Roma.
Brazil lost 3-1 to Argentina in their last game, a result that means they need three points from their last three regional games to qualify for next year’s World Cup and Parreira is worried about his defence.
‘We’ll need to be faster in the transition from attack to defence when we lose the ball.
‘Greece will defend with all 11 players and the look to hit on the counter-attack.’
Brazil: Dida; Cicinho, Roque Junior, Juan, Leo or Gilberto; Emerson, Ze Roberto, Kaka, Ronaldinho; Robinho, Adriano
Greece: Antonis Nikopolidis; Yannis Goumas, Michalis Kapsis, Takis Fyssas, Yourkas Seitaridis; Angelos Basinas, Stelios Giannakopoulos, Theodoros Zagorakis, Giorgios Karagounis; Fanis Gekkas, Angelos Haristeas