Bielsa hopes to change history against Brazil

Chile’s Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa said on Sunday he hoped his side would be able to overturn a poor record against Brazil in their World Cup last 16 meeting on Monday in Johannesburg.

“You always believe you can do it, and overturn an unfavourable trend,” said Bielsa in the knowledge that Brazil have won five games on the trot against the Chileans and racked up 46 wins in 65 previous clashes for only seven losses.

“Every game affords you this opportunity and Monday is a very attractive opportunity for us,” insisted the man who led Argentina to the 2004 Olympic crown ahead of the encounter at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.

Bielsa says he hopes to send in Chile’s not so secret weapon Humberto Suazo, who impressed in the qualifiers with a continental best ten goals but who only managed to play 45 minutes in the group phase owing to injury.

“Right now I believe Suazo is ready to start the game,” said Bielsa, while recognising that it would be difficult for any player to come in at the sharp end after barely playing for two months.

“He’s barely got through 90 minutes these past two months so it will be tough to get over that – but I think Suazo is now over this problem,” said Bielsa as he plotted how to see off the Brazilians and book a quarter-final against either Holland or Slovakia.