By Mark Baber
May 31 – With news the Brazil-England game might be cancelled, due to problems with the Maracana stadium, Bayern fans hadn’t abandoned all hope, even as Dante (pictured) departed for Brazil. However, the news soon came that the Brazil-England friendly was back on and they would certainly be without their central defender for Saturday’s DFB Pokal final. The incident has reignited the club vs country debate.
Bayern Munich chairman, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, could not contain his fury at Dante and Luiz Gustavo departing to be with their national team, saying: “You get the clear impression that a kind of psychological terror was exerted on both of them.”
Rummenigge suggested the two players were made aware that their Brazil careers could be at an end unless they turned up on time for training ahead of the competition. “What that means for Brazilians, with their relationship to the national side, is easy to envisage. I find this pressure inhuman, a little unscrupulous and a little unfair,” he said.
Dante would have been a certain starter for Bayern against Stuttgart, as Bayern seek to add the German Cup to their Bundesliga and Champions League triumphs.
The DFB secretary general Helmut Sandroack, under some fire domestically for scheduling the final so late, said: “It’s absolutely inexplicable for us that the Brazilians are adopting such an obstinate stance.”
For his part, Brazil’s technical director Carlos Alberto Parreira said: “We understand the importance of this match to them, but the highlight of their season was the Champions League. They won and the Bundesliga as well. It’s not that (the German Cup) is less important, they are looking for the triple crown, to win three titles, but the national team is also getting ready for the World Cup and you are demanding. You demand a lot.
“Therefore we must have everyone at our disposal to get the best result possible. The game against England is a tough, complicated one. It’s the reopening of Maracana Stadium and we want to perform well, with all the players. It is important that everybody is here.”
Parreira added: “The club complains when they have to release a player (to a national team), but they are very happy when they sell the player. They buy for 3, 4 and sell for 30, 40 . . . At this time, you never see anyone complaining. Nobody complains! They come here, buy for 4, 5, 6 and resell for 40, 50, 60 million. Again, at this time, you don’t see anyone complaining.
“It’s a serious confrontation that happens every time and it’s like the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, there’s no solution. And they will never be. They tried with Henry Kissinger, Bill Clinton, all the presidents and nobody seems to solve the issue. And, as the same here, everyone will defend its side.”
Brazil meet England on Sunday in the Maracana for a game which is a highlight of the FA’s 150th anniversary celebrations.
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