Brazil: Copa America tournament as preparation for the 2014 World Cup

Rio de Janeiro Defending champions Brazil will use next month's Copa America tournament as preparation for the 2014 World Cup when they hosted, says coach Mano Menezes, on Monday. Copa's tournament as well as a warm-up to earn his sixth of the world, but they also make it a priority to face arch-rivals Argentina, who will host the Copa began July 1. 

"We will leverage all of our opportunities in the Copa as a preparation for the World Cup," said Menezes told reporters in Rio when his team was preparing to leave for Argentina on Tuesday, welcomed their first match with Venezuela on July 3. 

Friendly match that the team has not shown the integrity, despite their 1-0 win over Romania in the last game in which Ronaldo bid farewell to his supporters and then the team's goalless draw versus the 2010 World Cup finalists, the Netherlands. 

But Menezes, who replaced Dunga after Brazil lost to the Netherlands in the quarterfinals of the World Cup, said he is building a strong team. 

"We have a strong base and is already manifest in some games and this will be a bone punggulan against Venezuela," he said. The team will also meet with Paraguay and Ecuador. 

"In theory, Paraguay is the strongest of the three other teams (in the group Brazil) but do not underestimate the other teams," said 

Menezes. 

"We can say, Argentina is the favorite team because they play at home, the same as when Brazil will host the 2014 World Cup," said Menezes. 

Previously, the AC Milan defender Thiago Silva, making Argentina and Brazil are two of the favorites to lift the Copa trophies. 

"Between Brazil and Argentina 50/50 - Argentina became a favorite because as the host and we also assume they must be defeated, after we won in two previous tournaments," he said. 

But he also predicted the World Cup semi-finalists Uruguay will be a threat in the tournament. Star Santos, Elano, Neymar and Paulo Henrique Ganso, will join the team after they played in the Copa Libertadores Cup final against Penarol of Uruguay on Wednesday.