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Mixed fortunes for Brazilian buddies
Gilberto Silva may have been dubbed the Invisible Wall, but he could be coming up against the Invisible Man in tomorrow's FA Cup Final.
For while Arsenal's diligent midfielder is an often underrated part of the Gunners, his World Cup winning compatriot Kleberson has disappeared without trace since joining Manchester United.
Indeed, he is so hard to find that even Gilberto, who also came to England after the 2002 World Cup, cannot get through to him.
"I called him a couple of times - but he never called me," said Gilberto. "I don't know why - I think he doesn't want to spend the money.
"He's my friend - but because he plays for a rival team we need to be enemies this week."
However, the two players are unlikely to go head-to-head tomorrow. For while Gilberto has made a first-team place his own, his erstwhile team-mate struggles to even get on the bench.
But while he may have fallen off the radar, Gilberto doesn't expect him to be gone forever.
"I don't know exactly what has happened to him, but he has had a lot of injuries since he went to Man Utd and that has made things very difficult," he said. "And otherwise it is the language.
"When he came he didn't speak English and that makes things so hard for you. But I hope next season he can play more games and not get injuries.
"If he played in the final it would be the first time we have played against each other since we came to England. The times I played against Man Utd he was injured, and when he played I was injured."
The contrast between the two players could not be greater.
While Kleberson arrived after the World Cup in 2002 with a huge reputation, Gilberto came in virtual secrecy.
So little was known about him despite playing virtually every minute for Brazil in their World Cup success that it is no surprise to discover he had been dubbed the Invisible Wall.
"It was with an interview with a Brazilian journalist [that the name came out]," he said.
"But I understand it because people expect Brazilians to play like Ronaldo or Ronaldinho, but I'm not that kind of player.
"If you see our games, I don't take the ball very often but I try to be in the right place to cover players. If Patrick Vieira goes forward, I try to be behind him."
But while Kleberson's reputation has plummeted, Gilberto's has soared - and not least since he was ruled out with a broken back for six months.
His absence coincided with a drop in his team's fortunes and it was no coincidence that they lost their unbeaten run, to Manchester United of all teams. Gilberto didn't watch that match on television, but he does realise how his absence has helped fans to appreciate him more.
"The supporters are emotional. I really understand their situation, but the professional players think differently. Before I got injured they thought I was important. I don't know if it's a coincidence that the team went down - I don't know if it was because I was out and I don't want to say that. But coincidence or not it happened.
"And since I am back a lot of supporters say 'We missed you'.
"I think the way I play is different from the other players who play in my position. Some of them play forward.
"I play very similar to Makelele. But my experience helps the team. You cannot put pressure on the young players - they did very well.
"But you cannot put pressure on them like you can me, Patrick Vieira or Thierry Henry.
"I like this kind of situation when I have a lot of pressure on me.
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