Elías: “The individual talent of the players is our strength'
The Carioca has faith in Canarinha
Elías is already thinking about a successful Copa America campaign after the end of the domestic league season with Atlético de Madrid. Brazil start their tournament against Venezuela with a 16.00 kick off on Sunday the 3rd of July in La Plata, a game in which the Brazilians want to demonstrate their superiority in the group. The other teams in the group are Ecuador and Paraguay.
The group phase finishes on the 13th of July. The quarter finals will be played on Saturday the 16th and Sunday the 17th with the semi finals taking place on Tuesday the 19th and Wednesday the 20th. The tournament draws to a close with the 3rd vs 4th place match on Saturday the 23rd before the grand final on Sunday the 24th of July in Buenos Aires. A final in which Elías is confident will include the colossal Brazil.
The Brazilian national team is the reigning champion of the tournament and natural favorite to lift the trophy one more time. Although, despite all the talent and international success, the five times world champions haven’t had as much luck in the Copa America as some of their rivals such as Argentina and Uruguay. Brazil has won the championship on 8 occasions as well as finishing runners up 11 times with 7 third place finishes. They’ve hosted the competition on 4 occasions, in 1919, 1922, 1949 and 1989.
Elías has high expectations for a tournament in which he hopes will end in victory for his side. “Brazil is a strong team in all competitions and the Copa America will be no different. We’ve got a young group, but we’re very confident. I’m sure we’ll have a good tournament, we’re a strong side.”
Elías highlighted “the individual talent of the players” as the team's strength. 'I think that these days none of the teams are much weaker than the rest, although in our group we’ve got a strong rival in Paraguay”.
During the 2011 Copa America, held in Argentina, Elías could come up against some of his Atleti team mates such as Diego Godín, Diego Forlán, Luis Amaranto Perea or Sergio Kun Agüero. The Brazilian spoke about the possibility of coming up against his colleges in the competition. “We’ve not really spoken about it too much although we’ve joked about who’ll end up in the final. You can’t rule out any team. Columbia for their tradition, Uruguay had a good world cup and Argentina have got some quality footballers. I’d like to see a Brazil Vs Argentina final as is always a colorful spectacle, even in friendly matches against them everyone wants to win…
The group phase finishes on the 13th of July. The quarter finals will be played on Saturday the 16th and Sunday the 17th with the semi finals taking place on Tuesday the 19th and Wednesday the 20th. The tournament draws to a close with the 3rd vs 4th place match on Saturday the 23rd before the grand final on Sunday the 24th of July in Buenos Aires. A final in which Elías is confident will include the colossal Brazil.
The Brazilian national team is the reigning champion of the tournament and natural favorite to lift the trophy one more time. Although, despite all the talent and international success, the five times world champions haven’t had as much luck in the Copa America as some of their rivals such as Argentina and Uruguay. Brazil has won the championship on 8 occasions as well as finishing runners up 11 times with 7 third place finishes. They’ve hosted the competition on 4 occasions, in 1919, 1922, 1949 and 1989.
Elías has high expectations for a tournament in which he hopes will end in victory for his side. “Brazil is a strong team in all competitions and the Copa America will be no different. We’ve got a young group, but we’re very confident. I’m sure we’ll have a good tournament, we’re a strong side.”
Elías highlighted “the individual talent of the players” as the team's strength. 'I think that these days none of the teams are much weaker than the rest, although in our group we’ve got a strong rival in Paraguay”.
During the 2011 Copa America, held in Argentina, Elías could come up against some of his Atleti team mates such as Diego Godín, Diego Forlán, Luis Amaranto Perea or Sergio Kun Agüero. The Brazilian spoke about the possibility of coming up against his colleges in the competition. “We’ve not really spoken about it too much although we’ve joked about who’ll end up in the final. You can’t rule out any team. Columbia for their tradition, Uruguay had a good world cup and Argentina have got some quality footballers. I’d like to see a Brazil Vs Argentina final as is always a colorful spectacle, even in friendly matches against them everyone wants to win…
