Players selected to face Brazil

Hopes are high in Asuncion, as the national team is fine tuning its preparation to face Brazil on Sunday. There is a lot of talk about the humble confidence permeating the national team. We want to see this transferred on to the field!!

Spirits are up, as they should be. So far, this group of players has exceeded anyone’s expectations of how we would be doing to this date. Several of the players that started this round were somewhat obscure in the first game against Peru. Enrique Vera, Jonathan Santana, Cabanas, and even “Tacuara” Cardozo were very new to the Albirroja. However, these and others have continued to prove themselves for the national team and their clubs. Now, even a lot of the subs are regulars in their clubs, like Aureliano Torres or “Tacuara”.

This Sunday, the attacking is going to be left to Roque, Haedo Valdez, and Cabanas. Morel Rodriguez, and Riveros will sit the Brazil game out due to a suspension. Aureliano Torres or Jorge Nunez may take Morel’s spot. As for Riveros, it looks like we will play with one man less in the middle since we’ll have three forwards.

Brazil is coming from some criticized performances against Canada and Venezuela, which is quite normal for Brazil. Keeping things in perspective, those games were just international friendlies; they are no indicator of Brazil’s power. Even if Kaka and Ronaldinho don’t come, they have more than enough players to replace them effectively.

I think the three points are going to stay in Asuncion this weekend. Paraguay usually plays very aggressively at home, so we may be able to add another victory against Brazil. What do you think?

There is a lot of controversy over ticket sales. It seems thousands have been picked up and are being re-sold in Foz de Iguazu and other Brazilian cities. Authorities are anticipating a Brazilian invasion of fans.

Also, the police have forbidden fans from attending the game with their faces painted.

FUERZA ALBIRROJA!!!!

Un abrazo,

PARAGUAY

Goalkeepers:
Justo Villar (Newell’s Old Boys/ARG) moved to (Valladolid/SPA)
Aldo Bobadilla (Deportivo Independiente Medellín/COL).
Derlis Gomez (Nacional/PAR).

Defenders:
Paulo Da Silva (Toluca(MEX)
Julio Manzur (Pachuca/MEX)
Darío Verón (Pumas UNAM/MEX)
Claudio Morel (Boca Juniors/ARG)
Carlos Bonet (Cruz Azul/MEX)
Denis Caniza (Cruz Azul/MEX)
Julio César Cáceres (Boca Juniors/ARG)
Aureliano Torres (San Lorenzo/ARG).
Pedro Benitez (Libertad/PAR)
Jorge Nunez (Cerro Porteno/PAR)

Midfielders:
Edgar Barreto (Reggina/ITA)
Edgar González (Estudiantes/ARG)
Cristian Riveros (Cruz Azul/MEX)
Jonathan Santana (Wolfsburgo/GER)
Enrique Vera (Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito/ECU).
Victor Caceres (Libertad/PAR)
Carlos Humberto Paredes (Olimpia/PAR)
Marcelo Estigarribia (Cerro Porteno/PAR)

Forwards:
Roque Santa Cruz (Blackburn Rovers(ENG)
Nelson Haedo (Borussia Dortmund/GER)
Oscar Cardozo (Benfica/POR)
Salvador Cabañas (América/MEX)
Pablo Zeballos (Cruz Azul/MEX)
Dante Lopez (Libertad/PAR)