7 July 2014 23:34
Luiz Felipe Scolari has urged Brazil to forget the blow of losing Neymar to injury ahead of their FIFA World Cup semi-final with Germany.
World Cup hosts Brazil take on Germany on Tuesday hoping to earn a place in Sunday’s showpiece at the Maracana.
However, the five-time winners will be without talisman Neymar, scorer of four goals in the competition, after he sustained a cracked vertebra in the 2-1 quarter-final success against Colombia last Friday.
The injury, suffered four minutes from time as the knee of Colombia’s Juan Zuniga came into contact with Neymar’s back, has provoked much uproar in Brazil.
But coach Scolari now feels his side, who will also be without captain Thiago Silva in Belo Horizonte due to suspension, must move on and manage without the Barcelona star.
“We are focusing on other things,” Scolari said. “That is the way we have to do things.
“He [Neymar] spoke to the players and said that he’s done his share. Now we have to do our share.”
Germany will be competing in their fourth consecutive World Cup semi-final, and Scolari is all too aware of the the threat posed by Joachim Low’s men.
“They are strong everywhere,” he added. “They have been organised for this World Cup for six years.
“We must respect Germany. But we are going to do things the way we do them. We have our standard and will carry out our game plan.”