Will Scolari ditch prized Oscar to make history?
FOUR days from the start of his bid for history on home soil, is the notoriously unwavering Luis Felipe Scolari going to do the unthinkable and tear up his script?
The Brazil boss has spent the last 18 months cementing the starting XI he feels will deliver the host country’s sixth World Cup — and make him only the second man to win it twice.
Yet after Friday’s final warm-up win over Serbia, Scolari is faced with a dilemma before Thursday’s tournament opener against Croatia. It is a quandary that has its origins in London because playmaker Oscar, who struggled for form at Chelsea, was again ineffective.
Replaced at the break by Willian, Oscar watched as his club-mate made an instant impact after Brazil were booed off at the interval. Willian helped the hosts grab control, with Fred scoring the winner.
There had been rumours Scolari would use the birth of a baby daughter as reason to keep Oscar in reserve and start with Willian. After another impressive cameo — fresh from scoring off the bench against Panama — it may be that the coach’s hand is being forced.
Scolari is always slow for turning when it comes to his favourites, bristling when reminded of Jose Mourinho’s comments over Oscar’s form, with the playmaker’s stellar showing in the Confederations Cup last year still counting for a lot.
The Brazil manager, who has also been urged to pick Willian ahead of Hulk in midfield, tried to downplay his dilemma, saying: ‘It’s not just Willian, I have Bernard, Fernandinho. If I’m in trouble, I know I can rely on any of these players for a good performance.’
Serbia skipper Branislav Ivanovic, the Chelsea teammate who faced both in Friday’s game, said: ‘Willian is a great player. He has that ability to make a difference all the time.
‘He refreshed the team when he came on. He was pushing it forward, moving it faster but still doing really well defensively. There’s no doubt he made the big difference.’
But he added: ‘Oscar is brilliant as well, though. They both can give Brazil — and Chelsea — a lot.’