Anyone thinking of backing Brazil for the COPA AMERICA 2004

Brazil manager has said Ronaldo,Cafu and 5 other key players will not be on the team list he has to hand in to the Copa America people on Wednesday.He says it is like a appendix of the football Calendar and is only for the Tv companys.
Dida,Kaka,Carlos,Ronaldinho are four of the others who won't play according to the brazil coach not sure who the other player/players are.They will still have a good team proably but are not value at 5/2 without so many regulars IMO.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) -- Brazil will rest its exhausted soccer stars and send a reserve team to the Copa America in July, coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said on Wednesday.

Ronaldo, Cafu, Roberto Carlos and other World Cup veterans were left off the Brazilian team to compete in the Latin American tournament next month in Peru.


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The only returning member of Brazil's 2002 World Cup champion side is midfielder Kleberson.

Most regular starters are coming off an exhausting season in European leagues and a series of friendlies and qualifying games for the 2006 World Cup.

Parreira preferred to have his "A" team rested and ready for Brazil's next Cup qualifier, against Bolivia in September. Brazil leads the South American qualifying race, one point ahead of Argentina.

The Copa America is too much for Brazil's schedule.

"It's a very important tournament, but the team needs a rest," injured FC Barcelona star Ronaldinho said in an interview on Pele's Web site, pele.net.

In place of its starters, Brazil summoned a mix of 22 second-stringers and promising youngsters.

Luis Fabiano, Juan, Edu and Adriano have all played for the national team and hope to insure their spots. Youngsters Diego and Renato, who brought Santos the national crown in 2002, return to the squad.

Six players were called for the first time: Gustavo Nery, Dudu Cearense, Gilberto, Maicon, Bordon and Vagner Love.

Twelve teams are divided into three groups in the Copa America, which starts on July 6.

Brazil faces Paraguay, Chile and Costa Rica in Group C, considered one of the easier groups. The toughest is probably Group B, which joins Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico and Ecuador.

Group A features host Peru, Colombia, Bolivia and traditionally weak Venezuela.

Brazil will play its first-round games in the mountain city of Arequipa, nearly 8,000 feet (2,390 meters) above sea level. The high altitude displeased coach Parreira, who said the team wouldn't have much time to get physically ready.

Chile and Ecuador also have announced they will be at less than maximum strength at the tournament.

------

Roster:

Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar (Flamengo) and Fabio (Vasco da Gama)

Defenders: Mancini (Roma), Maicon (Cruzeiro), Gustavo Nery (Sao Paulo), Gilberto (Sao Caetano), Bordon (Stuttgart), Cris (Cruzeiro), Juan (Bayer Leverkusen), Luisao (Benfica)

Midfielders: Dudu Cearense (Kashiwa Reysol), Renato (Santos), Kleberson (Manchester United), Edu (Arsenal), Diego (Santos), Julio Baptista (Sevilla), Alex (Fenerbahce), Felipe (Flamengo)

Forwards: Adriano (Internazionale), Ricardo Oliveira (Valencia), Vagner Love (Palmeiras), Luis Fabiano (Sao Paulo)

[Matt]

Julio Cesar
Mancini
Cris
Juan
Gustavo Nery
Edu
Diego
Julio Baptista
Alex
Adriano
Luis Fabiano

what an awful 1st 11 that is!