Brazil can take advantage of Argentina's desperation for points when the great South American rivals clash in Saturday's World Cup qualifier, goalkeeper Julio Cesar said.
There are two reasons why Argentina, precariously placed in qualifying, could feel the pressure more than Brazil, Julio Cesar told a news conference on the eve of the match at Rosario Central's stadium.
"One, they are playing at home, and two, they need a result and that's positive for the (Brazil) national team," he said.
"Teams that go forward make it easier for Brazil to play their (counter-attacking) game.
"Brazil are enjoying a very good spell... Argentina's calendar is not very favourable," he added.
Argentina have two more tough matches, visits to Paraguay next Wednesday and Uruguay in October, in the run-in to the South American group, with only a home game against bottom team Peru a near guarantee of three points.
They are fourth, the lowest position for an automatic place in the finals, five points behind leaders Brazil. The team finishing fifth will go into a two-leg playoff against the CONCACAF's fourth-placed team.
SMALL WARS
Brazil's captain Lucio told the news conference that matches between Argentina and Brazil are like wars, often prone to rough play and niggling fouls and gamesmanship.
"Brazil-Argentina is always a war, we know it's a special match," he said.
"It's important to be balanced and calm and remain as 11 on the pitch.
"One's mental state is important to withstand the pressure," said Lucio, an experienced campaigner who has led his country to victory in the Copa America and Confederations Cup in the last two years.
Julio Cesar, asked to compare the teams' respective coaches, Brazil's Dunga and Argentina's Diego Maradona who were once great rivals as players, said: "Football is results.
"Dunga has very good ones. He won the Confederations Cup, the Copa America, he's been the national team coach for three years.
"Maradona has just started, he needs time to get to impose his philosophy. He's waiting for the time when he can realise what's in his head, to have the same success he had as a player."
The statistics of the two countries' football bodies differ slightly over how many times each has beaten the other in their more than 90 clashes since their first meeting in 1914, but in both Brazil hold a slight edge after their three wins and one draw under Dunga since 2006.
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