Luiz Felipe Scolari: 'Brazil are afraid'

Brazil manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has admitted that his side are suffering from nerves ahead of their World Cup last-16 tie against Chile.

The host nation will be expected to progress to the quarter-finals, but with the threat of sudden elimination in the minds of the Brazilian players, Scolari claims that it is normal to be afraid of failure.

"It is normal for us to be anxious, especially now in the knockout stage where we cannot lose," BBC Sport quotes him as saying.

"We become more afraid, more nervous. It is normal. Not because it is in Brazil, but because it is a World Cup. You only get the chance to get to the final if you win."

Brazil or Chile will face the winner of Colombia and Uruguay's last-16 tie in the quarter-finals.