Confederation Cup final preview: Brazil expect Adriano to recover in time for this evening's Confederations Cup final against Argentina (7.30pm Irish time, live on RTÉ 2) when one of the fiercest rivalries in world soccer resumes in Frankfurt.
Adriano, who scored twice in Brazil's 3-2 semi-final win over hosts Germany on Saturday, limped out of Monday's training with an ankle injury but the team doctor said he should be fit.
Brazil, the five-times World Cup winners, and Argentina, twice former world champions, will be playing their 40th competitive match - and their fourth in Europe.
Argentina should be clear favourites after beating Brazil 3-1 in a World Cup qualifier on June 8th but Brazil beat Argentina a year ago to win the Copa America, albeit with a penalty shoot-out victory in the final.
If Brazil win this evening they will become only the second country after France to hold three senior FIFA titles at the same time: the World Cup, their continental crown and the Confederations Cup. France achieved that feat in 2001.
Jose Pekerman's Argentina looked exhausted as they beat Mexico 6-5 on penalties in the second semi-final in Hanover on Sunday, after a gruelling match ended 1-1 after extra-time.
Brazil had enjoyed a relatively straightforward win over Germany 24 hours earlier in Nuremberg and the mauling they received in that last meeting in Argentina will be a powerful incentive.
"The final will be a great source of motivation," Ronaldinho said. "It will be a great game against a great team.
"We want to end the season on a high note by winning this title. You forget about how tired you are when it's a final. We'll shrug it off."
Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira will be keen to prove that his ultra-attacking formation can be effective against top-class opposition. He will be asking for one final sacrifice from his four regular forwards, Ronaldinho, Kaka, Robinho and Adriano, if the latter is fit.
"He was taken off as a precaution," doctor Jose Luiz Runco said of a player who also scored a great goal in Brazil's opening 3-0 win over Greece. "I don't believe he's a doubt. We'll use ice on the left ankle and he should be able to resume training on Tuesday."
Pekerman will be forced into one change, with Javier Saviola suspended after picking up a red card in the semi-final. Carlos Tevez should return in his place.
The coach can recall centre back Walter Samuel after he was suspended for the semi-final, but Gabriel Milito performed well enough in his absence and could keep his place.
Most of the previous games between Brazil and Argentina have come in friendly internationals, World Cup qualifiers and the Copa America.
They have met four times in the World Cup finals, three of them in Europe.
Brazil beat Argentina 2-1 in Hanover when the World Cup was held in West Germany in 1974. The Brazilians won again in Barcelona in 1982, an explosive 3-1 success that is remembered for a red card shown to Diego Maradona. Argentina gained revenge in 1990 when they beat Brazil 1-0 in the round of 16.
Brazil and Argentina are the two most successful teams in FIFA competition history. Brazil boast a total of 16 titles, including a record five World Cups, while Argentina have eight, including two World Cups.
Brazil are also looking to become the second country after France to win the competition twice after their victory in the inaugural competition in 1997. Argentina won the forerunner, the FIFA International Championship in 1992.
Germany and Mexico, the two beaten semi-finalists, meet in the third-place match in Leipzig also today. German coach Jurgen Klinsmann called on his players to make a big effort to continue their build-up for next year's World Cup.
Third-fourth play-offs can be drab affairs with the teams knowing they have missed out on the final and players keen to go home.
Klinsmann sees today's match (4.45 pm Irish time) differently, however, as with Germany already qualified as hosts it is their last competitive match before next year's World Cup.
"For us, the tournament is in no way over. It is important that we end the on a good note. We are taking it very seriously," Klinsmann said in a press conference yesterday.
"We have the duty to give everything again, particularly for the super fans. Then the fans can leave on their well-earned holidays," he added.
Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger reflected the positive mood in the camp despite their 3-2 semi-final loss to Brazil. "It would be terrible to go into the break with a loss," he said.
Klinsmann, who has no major injury concerns, will not reveal his starting line-up until just before the game but hinted he would not experiment against opponents ranked sixth in the world and who have gone 21 matches without defeat in open play.
Of nine games between Germany and Mexico, Germany have won four with four draws. The last time they met, in the 1998 World Cup, exactly seven years ago today, Germany won 2-1, Klinsmann scoring the last of his 47 international goals and current team general manager Oliver Bierhoff netting the winner.
Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn is set to win his 80th cap.
PROBABLE TEAMS
BRAZIL: Dida; Cicinho, Lucio, Roque Junior, Gilberto; Kaka, Emerson, Ze Roberto, Ronaldinho, Adriano, Robinho.
ARGENTINA: Lux; Zanetti, Coloccini, Milito, Heinze; Cambiasso, Santana, Riquelme, Sorin; Carlos Tevez, Figueroa.
Referee: Lubos Michel (Slovakia).
