There are no favourites in the Brazil-Uruguay and Spain-Italy semifinals of the Confederations Cup, according to Brazil keeper Julio Cesar.
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"Spain play beautiful football, which everyone respects them for, but they are to face Italy, who have won four World Cups," he said on Monday in Belo Horizonte.
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"I cannot look at Spain as the finalists yet because that would be disrespecting Italy. I think Spain have good collective play and play brilliant football, but there are no favourites."
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The same is true for the hosts' semifinal against Uruguay Wednesday in Belo Horizonte, even though Brazil are unbeaten against La Celeste since 2001, with six victories and two draws.
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"The fact that we have beaten them in recent matches does not make us the favourites," Julio Cesar said. "In the 2004 Copa America we beat them in the penalty shootout, and the 2007 win was also like that. These have always been difficult matches in which it was the details that made the difference."
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The veteran keeper, 33, was confident that his team are doing well under coach Luiz Felipe Scolari:
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"Brazil is finding a style - it is finding an identity. We are already clear about what we need to do."
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Brazil needed the official competition of the current tournament, "because we are not playing the qualifiers, which is bad and makes things tougher for the coaches because you can field the world's best 11, but if you don't train they will be in trouble," Julio Cesar said. "Now Felipao knows the group, and he knows who he can count on."
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As hosts, Brazil qualify automatically for the 2014 World Cup, exempting them from the South American qualifiers.
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Brazil doctor Jose Luiz Runco noted that all players are currently fit, including previously injured Paulinho and David Luiz.