Brazil coach Dunga demands players forget past records
BRAZIL coach Dunga insists past records will count for nothing when they come up against Chile in the last 16 of the World Cup at Ellis Park today.
The five-time champions have won the past seven meetings between the two sides dating back almost tenyears and take a major psychological advantage into the game.
However, the Selecao boss, whose side finished top of Group G with two wins and a draw, thinks otherwise.
“This is merely a statistic, nothing else,” he said. “What is important is our performance on the pitch against Chile.
“My players always know that it’s the next game that is the most important one. For now our next game is going to be against Chile, so we will prepare as we do against any other team.
“The past is in the past.”
The two have also met twice previously at World Cups – in 1962 and 1998 – with the Brazilians triumphing on both occasions, while Dunga’s men also won on both occasions during qualifying.
But Dunga believes that reaching the knockout stage changes the whole mindset of teams.
“During the group stage, there were opportunities to recover over the three games,” he said.
“Now in the knockout stages it’s all or nothing. Every game can be counted as a championship game.
“Each team has their distinctive styles of playing.’’
