Italian seat manufacturer Bertele "stands out as the favorite" to provide new chairs for the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, according to Marcelo Baltar of GLOBO ESPORTE. The individuals responsible for the reform of the Maracanã "will decide in the upcoming days" what chairs will be used for the stadium that will host the 2014 World Cup final. In June, workers and guests "were invited to test the models" along with former head coaches Alberto Parreira, Alexandre Torres, Carlos Alberto Torres and Ricardo Rocha. Bertele stood out as the favorite, "even tough it is the most expensive compared to the competition." It was "the most liked" by representatives of the Rio de Janeiro government including Governor Sergio Cabral. The Italian model also "won the vote" of former Brazilian World Cup-winning coach Alberto Parreira. Parreira said, "We tested some models. Truthfully the Italian is the best in terms of comfort, design and beauty, but it is also the most expensive. I told Pezao (Rio de Janeiro Vice Governor) that the Maracanã deserves the best. You don't buy seats every day. You only do it once." The high cost of the Italian chairs "could be the reason for the delay in a final decision." Last month, Rio de Janeiro Empresa de Obras Publicas President Icaro Moreno said that "before the end of June the government would announce the seat supplier." Until now nothing has been finalized. Bertele representatives are currently in Rio and have a meeting scheduled for Friday with the people "responsible for the Maracanã." The Rio government has already chosen the colors of the seats for the stadium. The arena will have white, blue and yellow seats which combined with the green of the grass "will form the colors of the Brazilian flag." The Maracanã is currently 59% finished and should be completed in February '13. The stadium will host the 2013 Confederations Cup final along with seven 2014 World Cup games, including the final (GLOBO ESPORTE, 7/12).
