International soccer is back with an exciting double-fixture in the South American Qualifiers. Brazil arrive in the November international break aiming to get back to winning ways, but Colombia and Argentina will probably not make things easy. Besides, Casemiro will not take the field this time.
The Manchester United has been on the sidelines since the loss to Uruguay in October due to a knock. The veteran midfielder has already missed four games with the Red Devils, and now he wasn’t even called up by Fernando Diniz.
His absence will certainly mean a huge challenge for the Selecao, who have to see if there’s a reliable replacement for the former Real Madrid star. Fluminense sensation Andre or Newcastle star Bruno Guimaraes will probably fill in his vacancy.
Injuries hurt Brazil’s squad
While Casemiro is a significant casualty for these fixtures, he will not be the only notable absence on the Canarinha squad. Apart from the Man Utd star, Brazil will miss the likes of Neymar, Richarlison, Ederson and Danilo due to injury.
The Al Hilal star went under the knife after suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus in his left knee during his nation’s latest 2-0 loss in Montevideo. Therefore, he’s expected to be on the sidelines for almost eight months.
The Tottenham forward, meanwhile will undergo surgery on his pubic bone after claiming he’s been playing through injury for months. As for the Manchester City goalkeeper, he was ruled out due to a foot injury sustained during the draw against Chelsea. Additionally, the Juventus defender has yet to recover from a hamstring strain in his left leg in the October international window.
Diniz calls up new faces
In the wake of the winless October break in addition to the number of injuries sustained by its stars, the Brazilian national team squad for the November will have plenty of new faces.
Perhaps the biggest storyline about Diniz’s roster is the presence of Endrick, the 17-year-old gem who will join Real Madrid from Palmeiras in 2024. But the Fluminense manager has also called up players from his club, such as defender Nino and midfielder Andre.
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With Ederson injured, Alisson is expected to start between the sticks. Behind him, Brazil will have two local players in Bento (Athletico) and Lucas Perri (Botafogo). Other interesting names are Joao Pedro, who is enjoying a great start to life at Brighton, and Aston Villa sensation Douglas Luiz.
But of course, Brazil’s faces in this window will probably be Real Madrid duo Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo. Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli could be another player to watch, though.
