THEY have won eight World Cups between them, but remarkably Brazil and Germany have met just once in the tournament prior to their semi-final clash at the Estadio Minerao on Tuesday.

That meeting came in Yok­ohama (Japan) in the final of the 2002 World Cup, where two goals from Ronaldo sealed a 2-0 win for Brazil.

When the two football powerhouses meet this time around, however, Brazil will be missing Neymar, the star of this year’s tournament.

The 22-year-old Barcelona striker, like Ronaldo 12 years ago, was expected to lead the Selecao to their sixth World Cup crown, but fractured a vertebra during Brazil’s 2-1 win over Colombia in the quarter-finals.

Now the onus is on the rest of the Brazilian players to reach against a German side which is in the semi-finals for the fourth World Cup in a row.

And Germany believe Neymar’s absence will merely serve to unite the Brazilian team.

Related: All change as physical Brazil tackle German guile

“It will bring the Brazil team together and they’ll want to win the title for him,” German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger told a press conference in Santo Andre on Sunday.

“They’ll derive strength from that. We’re [German team] all sad that Neymar can’t play, it’s always better when the opponent has all their best players on the pitch.”

Neymar will likely be replaced by either Willian or Bernard on Tuesday and Brazil need to overcome the loss if they are to keep their dream alive of winning the World Cup at home.

“We were all very sad at the situation and also because Neymar was very sad. Of course the whole group has felt his loss,” Bernard said during a press conference in Teresopolis on Sunday.

“He is a big loss not just as a player but also as a person. He is always smiling and saying positive things. But we have to be calm and overcome it. We know that we have other players who will be able to replace him.”

That looks likely to be Willian, the 25-year-old Chelsea attacker who took Neymar’s position when Brazil’s reserves played against a local under-20 squad at their training camp outside Rio de Janeiro.

“You can’t compare Neymar to any other player, he has a lot of quality,” Willian said on Sunday, sitting alongside Bernard.

“I have a different style. He is more of a striker, scores more goals, while my strong suit is to set up my team-mates.

“But I’m ready, I’m ready if Felipao [coach Luiz Felipe Scolari] choose me, I will try to come in and do my best.”

Scolari masterminded Brazil’s victory over Germany in the final of 2002, but besides Neymar, he is also set to miss captain Thiago Silva through suspension after the Paris St German defender picked up a second yellow card of the tournament during the win against Colombia.

Bayern Munich’s Dante is Silva’s likely replacement while fellow defender David Luiz will probably take the captain’s armband.

The Brazilian football confederation (CBF) is trying to get overturned Silva’s suspension and FIFA said it was analysing the request, but it remained unlikely Brazil would get their way.

Also read: Brazilian voodoo priest to “bind” German legs

RESPECT FOR OPPOSITION: Despite the absences, though, Schweinsteiger believes Brazil remain a class outfit.

“They have two coaches in Scolari and [technical director] Carlos Alberto Parreira who have won the title already, they have the home advantage and players with individual class,” said Schweinsteiger.

“Their coaches have a lot of experience of this kind of situation. It’s an honour and a challenge to play against the hosts.”

Germany are without a World Cup win since 1990 and an international title since Euro 96, but Schweinsteiger is convinced they finally have a team that can deliver the killer punch after having come very close on each of the last four occasions.

A hard-fought 1-0 victory over France in the quarter-finals was an indication that the current German team can grind out results when it needs to.

“We’re a step further now,” said the Bayern Munich stalwart. “Not only is the team a step further but every player has developed further with their clubs. The number of really good players on the team is greater now than before.

“The mood on our team is very good and focused. We are more mature, we have more experience and we have a deep bench with more options. We want to win.”

Unlike Brazil, Germany have no fresh injury concerns. Backup defender Shkodran Mustafi is already out of the tournament with a torn leg muscle.

The main concern for assistant coach Hansi Flick, however, is Brazil’s rough tackling which has been a feature of its game at the World Cup.

“Brazil are an outstanding team which plays at the limit of the allowed and will go over the limit if necessary,” Flick told a press conference on Sunday. “We expect a very strong opponent.”

Probable teams:

BRAZIL: Julio Cesar, Marcelo, Maicon, Dante, David Luiz, Luiz Gustavo, Paulinho, Willian, Oscar, Hulk, Fred.

GERMANY: Manuel Neuer, Philipp Lahm, Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels, Benedikt Hoewedes, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Sami Khedira, Toni Kroos, Mesut Ozil, Mario Goetze, Thomas Mueller.

Referee: Marco Rodriguez (Mexico). 

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2014