Paraguay boss Eduardo Berizzo says his side will not consider their group stage results thus far in Copa América ahead of tonight’s quarter-final with Brazil.
Paraguay knocked Brazil out at this stage in 2011 and 2015. However, they have yet to win in this year’s competition.
Las Rojas qualified with draws against Japan and Ecuador in the groups. Berizzo says this will not play on his team’s mind tonight in Porto Alegre.
“What do I do with the numbers? I don’t look at them,” he said, when questioned over his side’s poor group stage form.
“Statistics don’t guarantee anything, for or against, it’s all theory. Preliminary analysis does not describe the game. It’s just journalistic work.
“We look at the game itself, how many passes we complete, when we lose the ball, where we should press. These are the important things.
“We are going to face a dangerous opponent, who will demand a lot and we have to make the ball a weapon to get out of pressure.
“We nee depth, verticality. We have to defend well, attack with quality and move the ball very quickly when we have it.”
