Scolari tips Brazil to do Well without Neymar
By Opeyemi Oladunjoye
Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari says his side will cope without injured striker, Neymar when they face Germany in Tuesday’s World Cup semi-final.
The 22-year-old has scored four of Brazil’s eight goals at the tournament but will not be able to play further as he suffered a fractured vertebra in the 2-1 quarter-final win over Colombia.
Scolari said his squad is fully focused on the task at hand.
“Neymar has done his share. Now it’s up to us to do our share”, the coach said. “We have accepted what has happened and we are focusing on other things.
“In this match we will be playing not just for ourselves [and] everything we’ve ever dreamed of, but also for Neymar and everything he’s done for us.”
Neymar injured his back following a challenge by Colombia’s Juan Zuniga and FIFA confirmed on Monday that no action would be taken against the defender.
Germany coach, Joachim Low, meanwhile has called on Mexican official, Marco Antonio Rodriguez to be tough in Tuesday’s semi-final in Belo Horizonte.
“I hope the referee, Mr Rodriguez from Mexico, will clamp down on things,” Low said. “That physical energy in the match against Colombia went beyond the limits in Europe. In Europe, 22 players wouldn’t have ended that match.
“Colombia against Brazil was a real fight with numerous fouls from both sides, not just the one foul against Neymar. You have to protect the players.”
Brazil’s only previous World Cup meeting with Germany was in the 2002 final in Japan and they won the tournament. Germany, however, are playing in their fourth successive World Cup semi-final, and hope to reach their first final since 2002.
