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Scolari brands Van Gaal claims 'stupid'

Scolari said Brazil would set out to beat Cameroon regardless of who they might face in the second round © Getty Images

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Brazil manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has hit out at claims that World Cup scheduling has given his team the opportunity to choose who they play in the second round.

Scolari said they were "stupid and ill-intentioned" in an outburst that appeared to be aimed at Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal, who ahs complained about his side playing their final group game before Brazil's - despite having completed their opening two matches after the hosts.

Brazil play their final Group A match against Cameroon four hours after the Netherlands meet Chile in Group B, meaning Brazil will know who their second round opponents are likely to be before they kick off in Brasilia.

Van Gaal accused FIFA of "playing dirty tricks" by giving Brazil an advantage, a view that appears to have left Scolari incensed.

"Some people expressed a view that we were going to choose who we were going to play," Scolari said. "Those sorts of comments are either stupid or ill-intentioned, I repeat stupid or ill-intentioned.

"We have to play to qualify, not pick and choose our opponents. It was FIFA who chose the kick-off time. You are putting emphasis on somebody who is talking nonsense."

Van Gaal claimed the scheduling flies in the face of FIFA's message of fair play at the World Cup.

"For every match FIFA have this advertisement around fair play," he said. "FIFA plays these tricks and it's not a good thing. It's not fair play.

"We're going to focus on a victory against Chile and I don't think that will be affected by the fact Brazil will play after us.

"I am just assuming [Brazil] will do their sporting duty. Why on earth are [FIFA] doing that [with the schedule]? That is the question.

"I can well imagine that Brazil doesn't want to face Holland. We have scored a lot of goals. True. And we have we scored fantastic goals. True as well."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd