Juninho doesn't expect things to get much easier for Brazil at the World Cup.

Brazil's Kaka (top) and Ze Roberto fight for the ball during a soccer training session in Bergisch Gladbach June 20, 2006 during the World Cup 2006 tournament.[Reuters]

The defending champions struggled in their first two matches against Croatia and Australia, picking up wins but being heavily challenged.

"Brazil better wake up now and realize that it will suffer a lot to win this World Cup," the Lyon player said. "This (competition) is being played at a very high level, it's being hard to hold on to results, to win matches."

Juninho, a backup to Kaka in Brazil's magic quartet scheme, noted the so-called weak teams will likely continue giving a hard time to the traditional squads.

"Australia played very well against us. Who would've thought something like that 10 years ago, that Australia would face Brazil like it did?" Juninho said. "Other nations, even some which have been eliminated, like the Ivory Coast, have played well, too.

"We've seen Portugal struggle to beat Iran."

The 31-year-old Juninho may get a chance to start Thursday in Brazil's last group match after coach Carlos Alberto Parreira hinted he may rest some of the starters ahead of the second round.

"I'm prepared to get in, we just need to wait for Parreira's decision," Juninho said.

Brazil secured a spot in the second round after the 1-0 win over Croatia and the 2-0 victory over Australia.

Juninho, who helped Lyon win its fifth consecutive French league title earlier this year, was a member of Brazil's squad that won the Confederations Cup last year in Germany.

Playing in his first World Cup, Juninho has scored six goals in 40 matches with Brazil.