Psychology not an issue for Brazil

Brazil are coping well with the pressure of competing on home turf, coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said, playing down concerns some players were too distressed after a nerve-wracking win over Chile.

Several of Brazil’s team were clearly on edge as their last match went to penalties, which they won 3-2, with keeper Julio Cesar and captain Thiago Silva crying in front of millions of TV viewers and raising concerns about their emotional state.

As news surfaced that a psychologist went to visit the squad at their training ground, those worries grew in local media ahead of the quarter-final against Colombia.

“It’s all scheduled, organised. She will go there again Sunday or Monday. She has participated in a very cool way,” Scolari told a press conference. “It’s a broad conversation, open, calm, together with the players.”

Goal-hungry Colombia

Scolari is confident about Brazil’s chances of winning the trophy but expects a difficult game against Colombia who are the second-highest scorers in the tournament, trailing one behind the Netherlands who have netted 12 times.

He echoed a comment by technical director Carlos Alberto Parreira, who said before the finals started that Brazil had ‘one hand on the Cup’.

“We continue (with one hand on the Cup). We’re on our fifth step, there are seven,” he said.

Brazil won’t switch from their zonal marking system to man-marking against Colombia, despite attacking midfielder James Rodriguez being tournament top scorer with five goals so far.