WORLD CUP USA ’94 / THE FINALS : Brazilians Already Getting a Sniff of the Big Game : Soccer: Key players are sound and everyone is calm before showdown against Italy.

One person who was not complaining about the air quality in Southern California on Friday was Brazil assistant coach Mario Zagalo. After he left the team’s practice at Cal State Fullerton, he said the only thing he sensed in the atmosphere was “the smell of winning.”

With apologies to those members of the Brazilian press corps who seem personally offended that the team has not won every game by six goals, the people who matter most, the coaches and the players, are finding very little to complain about as they prepare for Sunday’s World Cup final at the Rose Bowl against Italy.

While Italy is fretting about injuries to two players, forward Roberto Baggio and midfielder Roberto Donadoni, Brazil has not had a player hurt since the 68th minute of the first game.

While Italy has lost two players to suspension, defenders Mauro Tassotti and Alessandro Costacurta, Brazil has lost only defender Leonardo, and the man who replaced him, Branco, has proved more than capable. He scored the winning goal in the quarterfinals against the Netherlands.

While Italy had to fly from New York to Los Angeles after its semifinal victory Wednesday, Brazil had only to ride a bus back to Fullerton from Pasadena.

For those reasons, Brazil’s most interested observer, Leonardo, described the team’s mood Friday as “optimistic.”

“Calm,” goalkeeper Claudio Taffarel said.

“Relaxed, confident, determined,” Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said.

Although the Brazilian media might report it differently, Brazil has virtually cruised to the final in comparison to Italy.

There was potential for controversy after the first round when Parreira benched his playmaker, Rai. The coach said later that Rai was “naturally unhappy,” but the midfielder, who also is the captain, put team unity first and has not publicly objected.

As for injuries, Brazil’s medical staff might as well be spending its days at Disneyland. The team lost one central defender, Ricardo Gomes, before the tournament with a hamstring injury and the other, Ricardo Rocha, with a groin pull in the second half of the opening game. But their replacements, Aldair and Marcio Santos, have been outstanding. Santos was named to FIFA’s 11-man all-tournament team Friday.

Another defender, left back Leonardo, was sent to the sideline for the remainder of the tournament by FIFA after he fractured U.S. midfielder Tab Ramos’ skull with an elbow in Brazil’s 1-0 second-round victory. Parreira was under pressure from some in the media to replace him with the daring Cafu. But the coach opted for caution with Branco, who not only is a solid defender but also, as the Dutch discovered, a dangerous free kick specialist.

Brazil’s defense, suspect when the tournament began, has been so effective at interrupting attacks--on those rare occasions when opponents chose to attack--that Taffarel has hardly been challenged.

Could that be a concern for Brazil, Taffarel’s readiness if Italy tests him?

“No,” Parreira said. “In the moment we need him, I am confident he will say, ‘Hello, I’m here.’ ”