Brazil marches on in World Cup without Neymar
BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil – There’s no room on Brazil’s schedule for a pity party.
Losing Neymar was a huge blow, no doubt, and the striker’s teammates needed time to get over it. But they’re in the World Cup to win it and, Neymar or no Neymar, that hasn’t changed.
“The additional motivation which we must have is that every match is going up another step,” Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said Monday. “This match is very important. This match could take us to the final. This match we will be playing not only for ourselves but for our country. For everything that we imagined.
“But also for Neymar, for everything he’s done for us,” Scolari said. “But (his absence) is something we’ve already overcome.”
WORLD CUP: How Brazil stacks up against Germany
It’s understandable to think Brazil would still be reeling from the loss of Neymar. He’s the heart and soul of the Selecao, the famed No.10, and his teammates saw him grimacing in agony, crying that he couldn’t feel his legs after he was kneed in the back in the closing minutes of Friday’s quarterfinal against Colombia.
The injury isn’t as severe as it could have been, a fractured vertebrae that should heal within two months. But the memory of Neymar on the ground, the horrifying thoughts of what might have been, would haunt anyone.
Not his players, Scolari insisted. All of those negative thoughts have been wiped from their minds ahead of today’s semifinal against Germany.
“We’re focusing on other things and have a different mind-set,” he said.
That, of course, is what any coach would say. Has to say.
But if Brazil is still in a funk, Scolari and captain Thiago Silva sure did a good job of faking it Monday. They arrived at their news conference smiling, and Silva giggled as Big Phil described catching defender David Luiz doing imitations of him after the team’s dinner the previous night.
They were so relaxed that Scolari even napped on the helicopter ride to the stadium.
“It’s going to be tough,” said Silva, whose suspension for the semifinal adds to Brazil’s woes. “But the things that are happening make this group more united. The fact I won’t be there, the fact Neymar won’t be there — it’s different, but I believe this strengthens the group greatly.”
Scolari took no shortage of grief last week for bringing in a sports psychologist to work with his players after a ragged penalty-shootout victory against Chile. Regina Brandao has been part of Scolari’s staff for nearly two decades, but her presence was seen as a sign of weakness, the players buckling under the weight of the country’s expectations.
That several players were overcome with emotion after the Chile game added to the angst, with the entire country debating the psyche of the team — and most finding it lacking.
But the move looks like a stroke of genius now. Brandao met with the players after Neymar was injured, and they were already comfortable enough with her to share whatever fears, anxiety or disappointment they were feeling.
Talking with Brandao helped them see that Neymar’s injury didn’t have to derail their World Cup dreams, Silva said.
“She emphasized that he’s already done what he had to do,” Silva said. “Now, the other 22 players have to pull onto them the responsibility of playing well for him, because he wanted to be with us here now.”
So who does replace Neymar? Well, no one can. He’s one of the best players in the world, mentioned in the same breath as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. But as for who’ll take his spot in the lineup, Scolari wasn’t saying.
Midfielder Willian seems like the most logical choice. Scolari also has hinted he might go with three defensive midfielders instead.
Whoever plays, the Selecao will be just fine, Scolari said. It’s Brazil, after all.
“Please don’t forget what I’ve always been telling you: I have a fantastic group of players,” Scolari said. “We are doing what we think we must do and what we think is best. We’re all doing it step by step. Sometimes in a not very nice or beautiful way, but we are taking our steps forward.
“Everything is as scheduled.”
And the only party on that schedule is Sunday at the Maracana stadium, after Brazil wins its sixth World Cup title.
No comments:
Post a Comment