Bunyodkor coach Zico believes an even team performance, rather than a brilliant solo effort from Rivaldo, will be more important when the Uzbekistan club tackles Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium on Wednesday.
Part of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup side and FIFA’s Player of the Year in 1999, it’s not surprising Rivaldo steals the limelight wherever Bunyodkor takes to the pitch.
But Zico downplayed his worth heading into the team’s away leg of the AFC Asian Champions League semi-final.
“I don’t think Rivaldo is the key, I think the full team must be very focussed and very responsible for the game,” he said.
“But he’s very useful for us because he has more experience, he’s a very intelligent player so that helps us out.”
Bunyodkor’s Jose Luis Villanueva said his team-mates were good players in their own right. But he did admit the attention surrounding Rivaldo allowed them to play with more freedom.
“In one way it is very good. He usually takes the pressure for himself. The other (opposition) players don’t worry about us but we think we are good players and a team,” he said.
“The team that plays football, that really plays football, with technical (skills) and intelligence is very important.”
Meanwhile Zico said he hadn’t seen a lot of Adelaide United but had received some useful information from Kashima Antlers coach and friend Oswaldo de Oliveira.
“They are very good with their free kicks and their corner kicks. They are strong physically, they are tall and they are good in that kind of game,” he said.
“We also know that Adelaide plays very good as a visitor so because of that we can not be sure if we have a good score here (Hindmarsh Stadium) that the qualification (for the Grand Final) is ready.
“We know there is two games and that it will be very difficult.”
Zico also thought his team was the ‘surprise’ of the Asian Champions League and weren’t feeling pressure ahead of the semi-final.
“If we don’t go to the final it’s not a failure,” he said.
But he did admit he was worried about fatigue heading to the clash against Adelaide.
“We have a very good team, a very technical team and if we are in the semi-final it’s because we play very good all season,” he said.
“I’m only worried about the physical condition of the players because the season is almost finished and I think some players are a little tired.
“They are professional and they are just focusing on tomorrow’s game.”
