Austria vs. Brazil: Pre-game

Brazil will be looking to make it six straight wins when they travel to Austria this evening (kick off 18:00 GMT). The Selecao have bounced back emphatically from their humiliating exit at the World Cup back in July where they conceded 10 goals in two games against Germany and the Netherlands in their own back […]
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sambafoot_admin
2014-11-18 17:30:00

Brazil will be looking to make it six straight wins when they travel to Austria this evening (kick off 18:00 GMT).

The Selecao have bounced back emphatically from their humiliating exit at the World Cup back in July where they conceded 10 goals in two games against Germany and the Netherlands in their own back yard.

Dunga’s arrival for his second stint in charge has resulted in a flawless five-game run that has seen them score 12 goals without conceding.

O CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN

It hasn’t all been plain sailing for the new coach however, and the World Cup-winning ex-Selecao skipper has had a captain issue of his own to deal with since his arrival.

Paris Saint-Germain defender Thiago Silva was stripped of skippering duties upon Dunga’s arrival, with Barcelona superstar Neymar taking over to reflect his undoubted status as the nation’s talisman.

The poster-boy of Brazilian football hasn’t disappointed so far, and he added two more goals to his tally in Wednesday’s 4-0 win over Turkey, to take his remarkable Selecao haul up to 42 goals in just 59 appearances – the Barca striker has Pele’s record in sight.

However, despite Neymar’s ability to lead by example, that hasn’t stopped former chief Silva going public on his unhappiness about being dropped.

The PSG defender was quoted as saying late last week: ‘It feels like I lost something that belonged to me. I am sorry, but if I say I was happy, I would not be telling the truth.

‘[Neymar] did not come to me and I have had no conversations with anyone and that is what makes me upset. My motivation is very high and my goals have not been achieved.

‘This is not news that will shake me."

Neymar attempted to play peacemaker in the camp on Monday when he claimed that there were no problems between the pair, stating that the issue was something that was invented by the intense Brazilian media.

‘It is OK, we are fine,’ said Neymar. ‘We do not care about what comes out [in the media]. There are no problems, we talked and everything is fine. It is not news and it will not undermine our relationship."

Interestingly, the fallout lead to what seemed like a hasty spot of backtracking from Silva, and he claimed that everything was rosy between him and his ‘brother’ Neymar.

‘The most important thing is that my conscience is clear, Neymar and Dunga too,’ claimed the former captain. ‘I had to clear some things up. Neymar understood what I was trying to do. Neymar is like a brother and that won"t change. Whenever we speak, we end the conversation by saying “I love you."‘

Typically, Dunga had the last word on the issue and tried to put it to bed once for all by saying: ‘No one owns anything; it is my decision.’

SAME AGAIN, BOYS

Dunga took the unusual step in the pre-match press conference of stating that he would name an unchanged side for the trip to Vienna.

An imperious Brazil side hammered Turkey last week, and the visitors were eventually applauded off the pitch by the famously partisan crowd in Istanbul.

Dunga was pleased by what he saw from the likes of Willian, Neymar and Fernandinho and he explained that it will be the same side in Austria.

‘It will be the same team that started in Istanbul,’ revealed the head coach.

Expected Brazil line up: Diego Alves; Danilo, Miranda, David Luiz, Felipe Luís; Fernandinho, Luiz Gustavo; Willian, Oscar, Neymar; Luiz Adriano

Brazil substitutes: Rafael Cabral, Neto, Thiago Silva, Marquinhos, Alex Sandro, Mário Fernandes, Casemiro, Fred, Philippe Coutinho, Talisca, Douglas Costa, Roberto Firmino.