The 21-year-old Adriano, who hit a hat trick in a 4-1 demolition of Costa Rica on Sunday, will find life tougher against Inter Milan team mate Gamarra in the Group C clash.

"It will not be easy because Gamarra is a difficult adversary and a great player, but I´ll try to stay focused and help Brazil win the game," Adriano said.

Their friendship stretches back to 2000, when Gamarra was captain of Flamengo and the teenage Adriano burst on to the scene with a string of spectacular goals for the Rio de Janeiro club.

"We are great friends off the pitch, but enemies on it," Adriano joked.

Gamarra, who has made 92 appearances for Paraguay and was voted best defender of the 1998 World Cup, played down the value of knowing any potential strengths or weaknesses in a player.

"No matter how well you know a player, everything depends on the circumstances of each game," he said.

In spells at Brazilian clubs Corinthians, Palmeiras and Flamengo, Gamarra has also played alongside Alex, Edu and Juan -- all probable starters on Wednesday.

"They are a good group, and nice people. I just ask that they don´t make life too difficult for us in this game," he joked.

Both teams have already qualified for the second phase of the tournament. Brazil are top on six points, with Paraguay on four and hoping to grab the top spot.

PIZARRO GOING TO GERMANY
Peru captain Claudio Pizarro will travel to Germany, where he plays for Bayern Munich, to undergo surgery after suffering a head fracture in a Copa America match last week.

Pizarro's father said on Tuesday a neurosurgeon sent to Lima by Bayern made the decision after assessing him.

"The doctor who came from Germany decided it was safe for him to travel and that the operation would be done there," he told RPP radio.

"The operation is necessary because the dent in his skull is fairly pronounced," he added. The striker's father will accompany him to Germany for the surgery, which he said would probably take place later this week.

The 25-year-old suffered a blow to the head in Peru's 3-1 win over Venezuela on Friday and was taken to hospital on Saturday after complaining of dizziness and nausea.

His injury is a bitter blow to the hosts, who have qualified for the quarter-finals, and a personal disappointment for Pizarro who has never fully managed to shine for his country, scoring an unremarkable 10 goals in 38 games.

He has been at Bayern for three seasons, scoring 15 league goals in each of his first two years and 11 last term. His ambition is to lead Peru to their first World Cup since 1982.

Pizarro would have missed Peru's 2-2 draw with Colombia on Monday even if fit after being sent off late in last Friday's game. Fans in the stadium waved placards saying "Come on Pizarro" during Monday's match.