Brazil don't only have a host of talented and instrumental players but they also enjoy a high level of fitness, France coach Raymond Domenech said just hours before the two sides play in the World Cup quarter-finals. "It is not easy to play Brazil because it is necessary to be very aggressive in all parts of the field to have a chance against them," Domenech told French paper L'Equipe in an interview published on Saturday. "Everybody talks about Brazil's technical qualities, which naturally exist, but they have also very good physical qualities." Questions have been mounting over the fitness of the French team with Domenech selecting several veterans like 34-year-old players Zinedine Zidane and Lillian Thuram, 33-year-old Claude Makelele, 35-year-old keeper Fabien Barthez and others. Many of these players were members of the team that crushed Brazil 3-0 in the final match of the 1998 World Cup to win their first world title ever but the French manager refused to rely on history in such a challenge. "Some players (from the 1998 team) are here but I will not compare 1998 with 2006," Domenech said. "They are two other teams in is another place and another stage of the tournament. If relying on history works, then Uruguay (who won the first World Cup) should have won all titles by now."
Domenech France were forced into the way of Brazil when they finished second in Group G behind Switzerland. They also faced a tough test against Spain in the round of 16 and Domenech wished Brazil's clash would be delayed to the final. "I would have preferred to play Brazil in the final match. That would have meant we passed two hard tests before playing the title holders instead of playing them in the last eight," he said. Although both teams have big names in the world of football, Domenech said it is not necessarily that the game would be balanced but urged France players and fans to be patient if they conceded against Brazil. "You can't expect how the match will go. Everyone expected a tough match between Spain and Ukraine. Argentina's 6-0 victory over Serbia was a surprise as well," he said. "Sometimes, it is necessary to wait. We don't need to play quickly and keep pushing all the time. "You should control the rhythm and make good use of the chances you create when you have the ball."
