Turkey pose a bigger threat to Brazil’s hopes of a fifth World Cup title than either of the two sides they could face in the final, Roberto Carlos has warned.
Brazil needed a dubious late penalty to beat Turkey 2-1 in their opening match in the tournament and the Real Madrid wingback is acutely aware of the problems that their slick counter-attacking could pose in Wednesday’s semi-final here.
”I think the semi-final will be more difficult to get through than the final,” Roberto Carlos said.
”The first game against Turkey was the toughest battle we have had here and we know we will have to be very, very careful if we are to get past them again. The room for error will be minimal, if not non-existent.”
The Brazilian said all four of the teams left in the tournament are capable of winning it, but he said the South Americans growing self belief could give them a critical edge.
”I don’t know if we are a better team than South Korea, Germany or Turkey,” he said. ”But at the moment we have so much self-confidence that we know we are capable of beating all of them.
”The important thing for us is to stay calm and ensure that we are at the top of our game against Turkey. Both teams are playing a lot better collectively than in the group games and if we are not at our very best we will not win anything.”
The two sides group match was shrouded in controversy with Brazilian playmaker Rivaldo helping to get Hakan Unsal sent off by pretending he had been hit in the face when the Turkish player kicked the ball at his legs.
The incident enraged the Turks but they did not let it affect their subsequent performances and they have looked better and better with every match here.
After coolly navigating past Japan in the second round, they comfortably dominated Senegal in their quarter-final although poor finishing meant they did not kill off the Africans until four minutes into extra time.
Rivaldo, whose play acting in the first game against Turkey
earned him a $7 000 fine from Fifa, said Brazil had learned
from that match how difficult the Turks are to break down if they get their noses in front.
”The lesson we learned is that we must not give away goals,” Rivaldo said. ”Turkey are capable of beating us but we will be doing everything we can to reach the final.”
The Barcelona star does not think the controversy surrounding the first match will have an impact on Wednesday’s match.
”It is in the past. We helped Turkey go through by beating Costa Rica so I don’t think they will be harbouring a grudge against Brazil.”
With Ronaldinho, Brazil’s most potent creative force in their last two matches, suspended after being sent off against England, Turkey know that stifling Rivaldo could be the key which unlocks the door to the final.
But the Barcelona star is unperturbed by the prospect of being man-marked.
”An intelligent player has to be capable of finding space or switching position with his team mates. It is obvious that this match will be difficult but we will be ready,” he said. – Sapa-AFP