Concepcion (Chile), June 23 (IANS) Paraguay will “kill or be killed” when they confront Brazil in the Copa America quarter-finals on Saturday, according to defender Paulo da Silva.
The clash will be the teams’ first meeting since Paraguay ousted the ‘Selecao’ from the 2011 Copa America in Argentina on penalties, reports Xinhua.
“We came here with an objective and so far we are carrying that out. Our expectations are high and people are allowing themselves to dream. It’s been a long time since we’ve made them happy. We know that it’s a game where you kill or be killed,” da Silva said on Monday.
Dunga’s team will be without their captain and talisman Neymar, who returned to Brazil on Monday after receiving a four-game ban following his send-off in Brazil’s 0-1 loss to Colombia last Wednesday.
Paraguay are not without their own personnel concerns. Midfielder Richard Ortiz has been suspended after picking up two yellow cards during the group phase while Miguel Samudio and Nestor Ortigoza are under injury clouds.
“The game will be evenly matched,” said da Silva, whose club career has included spells at Sunderland and Zaragoza. “I still think that Brazil have a great team and there will be a certain respect from our part because we know who we are playing against.”