Brazilians Sparkle in Europe With Goals Aplenty As Hulk Scores Again

This weekend, Brazilians sparkled in Europe, taking some of the limelight off their compatriots back home as the battle for Brazil’s Serie A title goes down to the wire. Here are some of the goals from European based Brazilians this weekend:

• Hulk scores a brace and provides an assist in Porto’s 3-2 victory over Braga.
• Kleber scored Porto’s third goal against Braga.
• Thiago Silva opened the scoring for AC Milan against Chievo.
• Alexandre Pato scored in AC Milan’s 4-0 victory over Chievo.
• Michelle Bastos scored the third goal in Lyon’s 3-0 victory over Auxerre.

Hulk is clearly taking on the mantle of the hottest Brazilian striker in Europe as Porto are now unbeaten in 50 consecutive league games. The other question, lurking on everyone’s mind, is whether Michelle Bastos deserves a place in the Brazilian national team.

Copa America: Brazil Play Disappointing 0-0 Draw Against Venezuela

Brazil drew 0-0 against Venezuela on July 3 in a disappointing match for the Selecao that highlighted, once again, its inability to convert high percentage chances into goals despite a bevy of opportunities. The attacking trio of Pato, Neymar and Robinho threatened convincingly throughout the first half. Pato hit the crossbar on the half hour mark and Robinho was unfairly denied a penalty after slipping a ball by the keeper that was blocked by the shoulder of a lunging Venezuelan defender. Disappointingly for Brazil, Paulo Henrique Ganso failed to assert his authority on the game, and consequently the offensive initiative resulted from Neymar, Pato and Robinho returning into deep positions and running at the Venezuelan defense, or else through wide play from Dani Alves and Andre Santos. Just before the half, Neymar missed a golden opportunity given some space in front of goal but he curled the ball high of the top corner of the net. It was the first time that Pato, Robinho, Neymar and Ganso played together since the Brazil-USA friendly in the summer of 2010, and while Brazil sparkled with some of the offensive vision and fluidity of the game against the USA, it lacked the clinical finishing that has begun to plague this revamped, post-World Cup 2010 team. Pato was clearly the most dangerous and nimble footed of the three strikers, but he lacks the international experience and gravitas to take charge of the offensive component of the game, as does Neymar. Herein lies Brazil's quandary as a team loaded with promising young talent without a heavyweight striker to put the ball in the back of the net. That said, Mano is famous for building diamonds out of the rough as he did in Brazil with Gremio and Corinthians from 2005 onwards. Mano is also a master tactician and it will be interesting to see what adjustments he makes in advance of the crucial game against Paraguay on July 9. Expect the same squad with Neymar and Robinho positioned deeper, behind Pato, and thereby playing the attacking midfield role as a complement to Ganso until the Goose begins to find his fitness and form.

Shirt numbers:

Pato: 9
Robinho: 7
Ganso: 10
Neymar: 11

Mano Menezes finalizes Brazil squad for Copa America 2011

Mano Menezes announced the Brazil 2011 Copa America squad in a press conference in Sao Paulo soon after Brazil's 1-0 victory over Romania in a friendly that marked Ronaldo's farewell game. Mano trimmed down an initial list of 28 players to 22, with Paulo Henrique Ganso and Fred standing out as the notable inclusions. The selections of Fred and Ganso suggest that Mano is intent on playing a 4-2-1-3 with Lucas and Ramires behind Ganso, who in turn plays behind an attacking triumvirate combination of Neymar, Robinho, Fred and Pato (Neymar, Fred and Robinho would be one obvious combination). Speaking about the presently injured Ganso, Mano remarked: 'I've said before that Ganso is the more complete player for the position to organize the team the way I want, and there will be a lot of time for him to get ready and play well.'' Ganso's inclusion in the squad as an attacking midfielder behind 3 strikers marks one of the more offensive formations Brazil has fielded in the last 10 years, particularly given the tendency of Dani Alves and even Ramires to join the attack. Manchester United's Anderson, Nilmar, Thiago Neves, Fabio, Jefferson, Henrique, and Leandro Damiao were all dropped from the initial list of 28 for Copa America 2011 while The Hulk remains out of the orbit of Mano's immediate vision for now. Defending champions Brazil will be aiming to claim the trophy on the soil of their arch-rivals, Argentina.

By foregrounding Ganso, Mano is essentially opting for a 4-2-4 that conjures up shades of the great team of 1970 against which every Brazilian national team is compared. Brazil 1970 played with Clodoaldo and Gerson in midfield, and Pele, Jairzinho, Rivelino and Tostao in attack. Pele, however, would often drop deep into midfield while Gerson would come forward. Brazil's 2011 Copa America squad represents one of the more mouthwatering midfields in the modern game with creative players like Elano, Ganso, Elias, Jadson and Sao Paulo's Lucas alongside more rugged midfielders in the form of Liverpool's Lucas and Ramires of Chelsea.

Brazil's 2011 Copa America squad is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar (Inter Milan), Victor (Gremio).

Defenders: Andre Santos (Fenerbahce), Adriano (Barcelona), Maicon (Inter Milan), Dani Alves (Barcelona), Lucio (Inter Milan), David Luiz (Chelsea), Thiago Silva (Milan), Luisao (Benfica).

Midfielders: Ramires (Chelsea), Lucas (Liverpool), Sandro (Tottenham), Elias (Atletico Madrid), Lucas (Sao Paulo), Jadson (Shakhtar), Elano (Santos), Paulo Henrique Ganso (Santos).

Forwards: Neymar (Santos), Fred (Fluminense), Robinho (Milan), Alexandre Pato (Milan),

Pato's shoulder injury may leave the Copa America door open for The Hulk

Alexandre Pato's dislocated shoulder, sustained during last Sunday's 0-0 draw between AC Milan and Udinese, may create room for Porto's Hulk in Mano Menezes's 2011 Copa America squad. The Hulk has been in devastating form for Porto this year both as a striker and provider of assists to the Colombian sensation Rademel Falcao in addition to his other Porto teammates. He scored 23 goals league goals this season and contributed a total of 13 assists in spearheading Porto's path to the 2011 Portuguese Primeira Liga championship title. The Selecao currently lacks a player with his ability to muscle through defenders and retain his balance while converging on goal and dispatching the ball into the back of the net with a calmness and focus that recalls Romario's unfailing accuracy in and around the box. The Hulk most pertinently represents a cross between the dribbling ability of Alessandro Rivaldo and the muscular power and pace of Ronaldo. He could serve as an effective compliment to Neymar and Robinho, both of whom have a tendency to go to ground in challenging circumstances. This year's Copa America will be held from July 1 to July 24 in Argentina.

Pato and Robinho Out of Scotland Friendly: Neymar and Damiao In

Mano Menezes has called up Internacional striker Leandro Damiao for Brazil's upcoming friendly against Scotland given the recent ankle injury sustained by Alexandre Pato in last weekend's match against Palermo. The 19 year old Damiao, who has scored 13 goals this season, represents the latest new face to Mano's roster since the former Corinthians coach took charge of the Selecao last summer. A recent muscle injury to Villareal striker Nilmar means that Damiao may join Neymar up front in what represents one of the most inexperienced strike partnerships Brazil has represented in the past few years. The absence of Pato, Robinho, Nilmar, Ronaldinho and the Hulk presents Scotland with an intriguing challenge for Scotland coach Craig Levein given that Neymar and Damiao have never played together and hence will be difficult to scout. Menezes commented that the selection of Damiao additionally enables him to work with yet another player young enough to qualify for the 2012 Olympics in London.

For more on the history of Brazil v. Scotland, see:
Brazil v. Scotland: A Brief World Cup History

Pato fires AC Milan to victory over Napoli

Alexandre Pato scored one goal and set up another as AC Milan dismissed Napoli 3-0 to open up a 5 point lead at the top of Serie A. In what was hailed as the match that could decide the Scudetto, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Kevin-Prince Boateng and Pato scored second half goals to seal an AC Milan victory in a match where second placed Napoli failed to direct a single shot on target. Ibrahimovic converted from the penalty spot in the 49th minute after defender Salvatore Aronica handled the ball in the penalty area. In the 77th minute, Pato displayed great composure after steaming down the left flank and patiently waiting for Boateng to find space in the box before threading a delicate pass to the Ghanaian midfielder who slotted the ball home. Two minutes later, Pato displayed his cool yet again by chasing a through ball that left him in front of two Napoli defenders, before carving out that extra yard of space to curl a rocket of a shot into the far right corner of the net. In this game, Pato recalled the great Alessandro Rivaldo and his ability to wait for defenders to commit themselves into making a move before finding either the open man or the back of the net. Milan are now 5 points clear of Leonardo's Inter, who kept up the pressure at the top of the table with goals from Wesley Sneijder and Samuel Eto that earned them a 2-0 victory over Sampdoria over the weekend. The Rossoneri now face Italy's most successful club, Juventus, on March 5, while Inter have an easier match-up with Genoa on March 6.

AC Milan's Attacking Quartet Begins to Fire

AC Milan's attacking quartet of Ibrahimovic, Ronaldinho, Pato and Robinho are starting to make their mark on Serie A as evinced by their 3-1 victory over Chievo on Saturday. Ibrahimovic set up two goals for Pato and Robinho scored the third as the Rossoneri took over the lead of Serie A with 14 points from 7 games. The in form Pato volleyed home a cross from Ibrahimovic in the 18th minute. Twelve minutes later, Pato received a magnificently disguised pass from an Ibrahimovic free kick which he dispatched with trademark clinical precision for a 2-0 lead. What had looked like an easy three points for Massimiliano Allegri's team became a mighty struggle after Ibrahimovic scored an own goal off a Chievo corner kick deflection in the 70th minute. Chievo continued to attack in search of a point as Milan stayed back and defended their lead on the counter-attack. But deep into injury time, Ronaldinho found Robinho via a through ball from the right flank that he held until his compatriot had timed his run to perfection. Robinho calmly sidestepped Chievo goalkeeper Sorrentino and then buried the ball in the far right corner from a narrow angle as Chievo defenders converged on the goal mouth. AC Milan's 3-1 victory sets the stage for a mouthwatering Champions League clash with Real Madrid on Tuesday.