Brazil and Netherlands up for a tough Friday game!

Although fans of Brazil world over have turned on a critical eye towards them saying that they lack skill as compared to the previous World Cup Teams, Coach Dunga is not complaining. Infact all that’s on the coach’s mind is about winning the tournament and taking home the cup. His philosophy is very simple the World Cup is a game where all that matters is perseverance, strength and how well you defeat your opponents in the game. Skill is only a secondary attribute and the aim here is to take home the cup, not to hang someone’s picture up the wall of fame.

Their team is well known for their pragmatic style and the way they set the other team to pieces with their counterattacks. Monday night Brazil tossed out Chile 3-0 to make their way clear for the quarter finals. They are all geared up to take home their sixth World Cup but for that they will have to defeat the mighty Dutch on Friday.

Of the three games that were played so far, the last game in the knockout stage against Chile was their most impressive, and we only hope that they get better with every game. According to their coach Dunga “We already said in these World Cup games, we have to go forward and play open football. That’s what everyone wants to see.”

Kaka is still yet to shine and score his goal, although he has been a formidable player in the team there is more to what we currently see in the star. Infact Kaka can play better and we only hope that he shows why he was crowned the Player of the Year in 2007. After his suspension in the final group match he got back and bought in enough of fuel to add to the team’s potent counter backs. He will however have to watch out for the next yellow card that would suspend him again. Dunga lamented against the untoward incident saying, “Yes, it is a problem. Technical players are punished, and those who always commit fouls aren’t. This is lamentable.”

The Dutch, who all this while have been playing as a team seem to be splitting at the seams as the game against Brazil comes closer. There seems to have been an outburst between coach Bert van Maarwijk and Robin van Persie when the player was replaced in their Monday’s win against Slovakia 2-1. When he was taken out because of his rather insipid performance, he said, “It’s not me that should be substituted but Wesley Sneijder.”

This could be a crucial match for the Dutch and the split in the team has not come in the right time. However Persie added saying “But I said nothing bad to the coach nothing that could harm the squad.”

Friday however gives them enough time for the team to put back their differences and get back together as a squad and pla`y that crucial exciting match against the Samba favorites.

Netherlands vs Brazil Match Preview

Netherlands vs Brazil Match Preview is done to get the most out of this upcoming match on the 2nd of June at Port Elizabeth. Now that the world cup has reached the quarter final stage the competition can only get tougher and out of these many great teams only a few shall have the rite of passage to the semis.

The Dutch team which is being seen in the world cup for the 8th time since 1930 has reached the finals twice but unfortunately, failed to win the cup both times. And this time again the ‘Oranje’ have displayed great resilience in their play so far, they topped their group and then went on to challenge Slovakia in the round of 16 at Durban. In Durban, the Dutch defeated the Slovaks by 2 goals to 1 thanks to return of their star player Arjen Robben. Bert van Marwijk, Netherlands coach was delighted with Robben’s return to the team “It’s obviously fantastic to have Robben come back after injury and show that he’s already fit enough to be scoring that kind of goal”. Netherlands v/s Brazil Match Preview will shows that for their next match against Brazil the Dutch need to perform better than ever before.

And not without reason did Marwijk say “Against Brazil, perhaps we might be the underdogs for the first time in South Africa”. The Brazilians have featured in all 19 world cups to date and are the only team to have won the coveted showpiece a record 5 times. The Brazilian lineup is studded with star players like Kaka and Fabiano who have been in the best of forms this world cup. None the less the match against the Dutch is the toughest they have yet to face and coach Dunga knows this, he said “We know the Netherlands are a very difficult team to beat and they are very able technically, we’ve got another decisive match ahead”

Expected Outcome:
Even though the Netherlands has played amazing football, they have yet to face a real challenge. And given Brazil’s great legacy we would expect Brazil to do the same this time as well and give us a great match.

But unlike before elimination of even a good team at this stage would not mean that the competition may become dull on the contrary the excitement will only intensify, this can be seen by our Netherlands vs Brazil Match Preview.

Brazilian Samba to take on colonial Portugal

Brazil the favorites to this year’s World Cup will be clashing in against Portugal another favorite to clinch the title today. The colonial masters Portugal will be facing 5 times World Cup champions later today, and it goes to see who makes it to the finals this year.

With Italy suffering a miserably defeat yesterday by Slovakia 3-2, and being the second favorites after France to go back home after loosing the group clashes. We are really not in to stomach any more upsets in this tournament. There have been one to many, and it’s good to know that Brazil and Portugal rank 1st and 2nd respectively in their Group G. Brazil needs only a draw to advance into the next round since they’ve gathered 6 points after defeating North Korea 2-1, and later Ivory Coast by 3-1.

Portugal too need only a draw to take them to the next round as their journey so far in Group G has been undefeated. They initially drew 0-0 with Ivory Coast, and then a stunning 7-0 against North Korea.
The third in line is Ivory Coast and if they have to make it to the next rounds, Portugal will not only have to draw or win this game, but Ivory Coast will have to win handsomely.

Brazilian ace player Kaka who was shown the red card against Ivory Coast and hence will be missing today’s game said, “Brazil are going all out to win another important match- it is important to ensure top spot.” He went on to say, “ I know a draw will leave us top but a victory is good for confidence.”

After Portugal’s 6-2 defeat against the Brazilians back in 2008, Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz is hoping that his side would avenge their defeat. Mozambique born Queiroz who was also Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant said, “We don’t want the Brazilians to score against us this time – it is a question of honor. We must not do Ivory Coast any favors in terms of letting it go down to goal difference.”

Even he Portuguese midfielder Tiago said, “We want to finish on top of what is a very strong and difficult group in the final match, our destiny is in our hands. We are going into the match with Brazil with the intention of winning and finishing top of our group.”

Kaka Vetoes Move to Manchester City

The real news behind the failed transfer of the 2007 FIFA World Footballer of the Year Kaka is now coming to light. AC Milan had already agreed to sell their prized Brazilian to Manchester City to the tune of $145 million.

Previous bids for the ace striker had been refused by the club side until AC Milan’s big boss Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berloscuni allowed the English Premier League club to discuss the prospect of transferring Kaka. The most probable reason for the sudden change of heart was the sheer amount of the deal which had both Berloscuni and the AC Milan management found tempting enough to deal the player. But the historic deal would not come into fruition with a simple message from the prime minister that Kaka was staying and it is not about the money.

In retrospect, it would’ve been a win-win situation for AC Milan and Kaka, with the huge pay windfall to be received by Kaka and the financial flexibility for Milan, there would be no arguing as to the numbers for the deal to push through. But the final discussions received by Kaka’s camp became lukewarm when the response made by the Manchester City representative would be emailed the next day, which prompted the player’s manager and father to get up and leave. This annoyed the Manchester City representative since he had thought that the previous discussions had already sealed the deal. This chapter then has been called the “great refusal”.

Arsene Wenger praises Kaka

Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager has praised Kaka for his decision to not move to Manchester City after a month of debate since the end of December.

Wenger has praised Kaka for  putting his choice above money which he thinks every player should. Some years back it was Steven Gerrard whom Chelsea wanted to buy for a hefty sum but Gerrard valued his club more than money and ofcourse, Chelsea. Players like these are rare found on this continent. Kaka did a huge favour to the football world say Wenger otherwise, Manchester City would have managed to buy further more. In football greed is not good and player should value the game above all things. Hleb and Flamini left Arsenal last year as a result of a better package at their new clubs but Arsene Wenger thinks that every player has to make decisions for himself. Sometimes there are decision which affect everyone with that player.

Kaka to stay at AC Milan forever!

The world’s most expensive transfer deal failed to materialize after a month of push and pull game. There were rumours that the player has been sold and there were rumours that he will stay but now there will be no more reports as Adriano Galliani has confirmed, once and for all, that the player stays at San Siro forever now. He has signed another deal for the next four and a half years he is going no where.

Manchester City can now try doubling the bid but Kaka is going no where. The player said that he will never Milan and even if he considers leaving he would go to the spainsh giants Real Madrid. The football pundits predicted that this deal will bring major consequences to world football if legends like Kaka leave clubs like Milan for money. But it was not the player who was interested but the club who wanted to cash a lottery on the Brazilian ace.

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