Brazil to play France and Germany
Reuters - Tuesday 19 October 2010, 21:04
RIO DE JANEIRO - The 2014 World Cup hosts
Brazil are to meet Germany and France in friendlies next year.
Coach Mano Menezes is also planning talks in Italy on
Thursday with Inter Milan trio Lucio, Maicon and Julio Cesar who
have been overlooked since Brazil's World Cup quarter-final
defeat by Netherlands in July.
Brazil, whose last match this year is against arch-rivals
Argentina in Doha on November 17, are looking for strong opposition
to prepare for 2014 given they will not be taking part in the
South American qualifiers.
"These three friendlies are certain," Brazilian Football
Confederation (CBF) president Ricardo Teixeira told Reuters on
Tuesday at the launch of the Annual of Brazilian Football book.
According to the website of football's ruling body FIFA, the record five-times world champions will play
France on February 9 at the Stade de France in St Denis, Paris.
That is the venue where the French beat Brazil in the 1998
World Cup final. The match against Germany will be in Stuttgart
on August 10.
Brazil have beaten United States, Iran and Ukraine in
friendlies without conceding a goal under Menezes since he
replaced World Cup coach Dunga in July.
"It's a start... we won't have qualifiers and we must
prepare (for 2014)," Teixeira said. "I think it's important the
work be started as quickly as possible.
"Either we stop and don't play or we make the most of what
we can."
Inter Milan's Brazilian trio were stalwarts of Dunga's side
and Menezes is keen to show them he is not ruling anyone out.
"The talks with these players are important to avoid them
receiving erroneous information open to misinterpretation,"
Menezes told the CBF website.
On his European trip, the coach has already talked with AC
Milan's Alexandre Pato, Robinho and Thiago Silva, who have
already played under him, and at Real Madrid with Kaka, who is
recovering from injury, and left back Marcelo.
Menezes denied having spoken to Ronaldinho, who is also at
AC Milan, about a possible recall following reports in Italian
media that he had.