Rio 2016 Brazil vs Germany: Can Neymar and the new Selecao ease the pain of that 7-1 demolition?
Memories of that night in the Estadio Mineirao two years ago are still sore
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Your support makes all the difference.When the jeers rang out around the Estadio Mineirao in Belo Horizonte two summers ago one man was spared the wrath of the Brazilian public.
Brazil, of course, had just been humiliated in the World Cup semi-final, losing 7-1 to Germany, the biggest last-four margin of defeat in the global tournament’s rich history.
It was their house party but the Germans barged in and trashed the place denying them a spot in the Maracana final.
It was meant to be the summer when the Selecao finally laid to rest the ghosts of that famous stadium, swirling since 1950, the year they infamously lost the World Cup final they thought they were destined to win against Uruguay – the only other time they have hosted the event.
Moacry Barbosa, the goalkeeper that year who was at fault for the deciding goal in the Maracanazo (“the Maracana Blow”), famously remarked some years later: “Under Brazilian law, the maximum sentence is 30 years. But my imprisonment has been for 50.”
The Brazil team of two years are also serving time in the eyes of the public. But one man was spared the sentence and can help ease the pain of 1950 and 2014: Neymar, who sat out that semi-final having been injured in the last-eight victory over Colombia.
On Saturday, the Barcelona forward leads his young team out in the Olympic final as Brazil seek to finally lift a global trophy on home soil. That they play Germany simply enriches the narrative.
Brazil have won five golds in these Rio Games and there were tears aplenty in a packed beach volleyball arena on Thursday night when Bruno and Alison sealed the men’s title. But that was in front of 12,000 people, the Maracana will be a jumping, seething mass of 80,000 fans in yellow: this is the gold that matters.
Neymar was brilliant in the 6-0 semi-final victory over a limited Honduras – he scored twice and set one up - and will aim to inspire them again. The team is energetic, hard-working, dynamic and, of course, delightfully skilful. They have adopted a 4-2-4 formation since two 0-0 draws in the group stages against Iraq and South Africa and have since won 4-0, 2-0 and 6-0.
The coach, Rogerio Micale, insists the team work hard from the front (“we are playing the beautiful game but it is not enough - the team has to fight”) and Neymar scored the opener against Honduras after closing down the centre-back and forcing him into an error. Gabriel Jesus, soon to be of Manchester City, and Luan join Neymar as the main stardust sprinklers. Their movement, interplay, dummies and feints were a thing of wonder on Wednesday. Marquinhos of Paris St-Germain runs the no-nonsense defence.
Of course, this is the Olympic team so per Games rules is restricted to Under-23s with a maximum of three overage players. The seniors are currently struggling to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, sitting in sixth place in the 10-team group (four qualify automatically, fifth enters a play-off). Micale is persisting with players tainted by the failure of 2014: in their last game – a 2-0 defeat to Chile – the bulky Hulk, the liability David Luiz and the ageing Dani Alves all started.
Following the World Cup there were calls for an overhaul of Brazilian football from the sports minister among others. There is concern that so much young talent is shipped off to Europe too soon. But of Micale’s Olympic squad of 19 only five (Marquinhos, Neymar, Rafael Alacantra, Felipe Anderson and Renato Augusto) play outside Brazil. Win gold and there will be calls for Hulk et al to stand aside and let this lot finish the Russia qualifying campaign.
Germany, being Germany, will be no pushovers even though they lack a stellar name like Neymar. They are the tournament’s leading scorers with 21. Serge Gnabry, 21, whose career has stalled at Arsenal after showing early promise, leads the way with six along with Freiburg’s 27-year-old striker Nils Petersen.
So the personnel that lights up the Maracana on Saturday will be very different from that which met two years ago. But it is still Brazil vs Germany. There is still gold up for grabs. "I am sure the final with Germany will be a great match but it has nothing to do with the past," Micale said knowing it has everything to do with the past.
Micale has also urged the Brazilian media and public to be supportive of the team, saying change cannot be implemented overnight. He says they would have more success if they all pull in the same direction. He might as whisper it from the Maracana stands on a windy day. Winning is what matters in Brazil.
“Brazilian football is not so dead. I still believe in Brazilian football,” Micale said after the semi-final win and a pointed reference to the post-mortems that have been written since 2014.
Lose to Germany and it will feel like another nail in the coffin - whatever Micale says.
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