RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, November 26 – Brazilian Football Confederation president Jose Maria Marin on Monday dismissed reports the five-time world champions are going to sign former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola to lead their 2014 World Cup campaign.
“There is a very little chance it will be a foreign coach. We have won five World Cups with Brazilian coaches and I don’t think it will be necessary,” Marin told the Terra website.
A source close to Guardiola said on Saturday that Brazil were the only team in the world that Guardiola was ready to coach after Mano Menezes was sacked on Friday following two and a half years in charge.
“The past is the past. We must now think about the future and it is the moment to analyse the ideal candidate who is going to lead a team that has picked up inconsistent results,” added Marin.
During his time in charge, Menezes guided Brazil to just 21 wins in 40 matches, including the Olympic campaign where they lost to Mexico in the gold medal match.
Meanwhile, Barcelona defender Dani Alves will be sidelined for 15-20 days after injuring his right thigh muscle during Sunday’s 4-0 away victory over Levante, the club said Monday.
“Tests undertaken on Monday on the Brazilian player confirm a stretch in the right femoral biceps (muscle at the back of the thigh),” Barcelona said on its website.
Alves, who had just recovered from a similar injury in the left thigh, had to be substituted in the 14th minute of Sunday’s game by Martin Montoya.
The injury means he will likely miss a December 16 clash with Atletico Madrid, who are lying second in La Liga just three points behind leaders Barcelona.
