Brazil chase long-awaited soccer gold

‘We will play against Brazil not just Neymar’

AFP, RIO DE JANEIRO: The chance to make history by winning Brazil's long-awaited first football gold medal will override desire for revenge insists Brazil coach Rogerio Micale ahead of Saturday's final against Germany at Rio's Maracana. Germany inflicted the worst defeat in Brazil's history in a 7-1 World Cup semi-final mauling just two years ago.
The expectations of the host nation are placed on star forward Neymar delivering gold having missed that infamous clash in Belo Horizonte through injury.
But with no player who took to the field two years ago set to start on Saturday, Micale insists his group of young stars can only look to the future rather than be burdened by the sins of senior teams gone by.
Micale's men overcame a difficult start to the competition with 0-0 draws against modest opposition in South Africa and Iraq drawing boos from fans and fierce criticism in the media.
However, since then they have scored 12 goals without reply in three straight wins, including a Neymar-inspired 6-0 thrashing of Honduras in the semi-finals.
Micale, who also led the Brazil under-20 side to the World Cup final last year, hopes a team not only boasting Neymar, but wonder kids Gabriel Jesus of Manchester City and the sought after Gabriel Barbosa will rekindle the "essence" of flair in Brazilian football.
Yet, Micale lauded the continuity of the German system which has brought through another stellar group of young players just as World Cup winning heroes like Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski have retired from international football.
German coach Horst Hrubesch will take charge for the final time at the Maracana after guiding the world champions back to the Games for the first time in 28 years by reaching the semi-finals of last year's under-21 European championships. And after scoring 21 times in just five matches to guarantee at least a silver medal, Hrubesch said Brazil should be more concerned about facing his on-fire strikers than he is about stopping Neymar.
“We will play against Brazil not just Neymar.
“If you ask me about Neymar, I would say what are they going to do against our forwards? They have scored 21 goals," said the former Borussia Dortmund striker.

 

Brazil chase long-awaited soccer gold

We will play against Brazil not just Neymar

AFP, RIO DE JANEIRO: The chance to make history by winning Brazils long-awaited first football gold medal will override desire for revenge insists Brazil coach Rogerio Micale ahead of Saturdays final against Germany at Rios Maracana. Germany inflicted the worst defeat in Brazils history in a 7-1 World Cup semi-final mauling just two years ago. The expectations of the host nation are placed on star forward Neymar delivering gold having missed that infamous clash in Belo Horizonte through injury. But with no player who took to the field two years ago set to start on Saturday, Micale insists his group of young stars can only look to the future rather than be burdened by the sins of senior teams gone by. Micales men overcame a difficult start to the competition with 0-0 draws against modest opposition in South Africa and Iraq drawing boos from fans and fierce criticism in the media. However, since then they have scored 12 goals without reply in three straight wins, including a Neymar-inspired 6-0 thrashing of Honduras in the semi-finals. Micale, who also led the Brazil under-20 side to the World Cup final last year, hopes a team not only boasting Neymar, but wonder kids Gabriel Jesus of Manchester City and the sought after Gabriel Barbosa will rekindle the essence of flair in Brazilian football. Yet, Micale lauded the continuity of the German system which has brought through another stellar group of young players just as World Cup winning heroes like Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski have retired from international football. German coach Horst Hrubesch will take charge for the final time at the Maracana after guiding the world champions back to the Games for the first time in 28 years by reaching the semi-finals of last years under-21 European championships. And after scoring 21 times in just five matches to guarantee at least a silver medal, Hrubesch said Brazil should be more concerned about facing his on-fire strikers than he is about stopping Neymar. We will play against Brazil not just Neymar. If you ask me about Neymar, I would say what are they going to do against our forwards? They have scored 21 goals, said the former Borussia Dortmund striker.