Ibañez, Marquinhos, Léo Pereira, Douglas Santos, Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães, Éderson, Matheus Cunha, Gabriel Martinelli, Raphinha and Luiz Henrique entered the field wearing a vest in the first part of the Brazilian team’s training this Tuesday (9). The rest, no. But this is far from indicating any preference from Carlo Ancelotti for the starting team that will debut for Brazil at the World Cup.
By allowing the press to follow only the opening 15 minutes of the activities, a period normally reserved for warm-ups, the Italian coach maintains the mystery about the team that will face Morocco next Saturday (13), at 7pm (Brasília time).
It is only when cameras and cell phones are away from the pitch that Ancelotti actually makes the division between starters and reserves. What seems certain, however, is that he will not have Neymar available — not even on the bench — against the Moroccans.
Still recovering from a grade 2 injury to his right calf, the number 10 remained at the hotel where the delegation is staying. It is there that he follows the routine established by the technical committee for recovering from the injury.
On Monday (8), the CBF reported that an MRI showed “good progress” in the player’s treatment. Without setting a date for his return to ball training, the organization added that he “follows the planned physical recovery process.”
If the initial forecast of two to three weeks of treatment presented by the technical committee is maintained, Neymar could be available for Brazil’s second match in the World Cup, against Haiti.
At the beginning of last week, Ancelotti stated that he was in no rush to count on the striker again. At the time, he said that the recovery was “progressing well”.
Even without the number 10, the coach revealed after the friendly against Egypt, last Saturday, that he already has in mind the ideal formation for Brazil’s debut.
The coach, who used 12 different lineups in his 12 games in charge of the national team, will certainly present a new configuration at the opening of the World Cup. This is because right-back Wesley was cut due to injury.
As midfielder Éderson was called up to fill the vacancy left by the Flamengo player, it is still unclear who will be chosen to play on the right flank.
Against Egypt, Wesley was replaced by Danilo, 34, an experienced defender who has been a reserve at Flamengo and played more frequently as a defender at the Rio club. In addition to him, Ibañez, 27, from Al Ahli, in Saudi Arabia, is another option to perform the role in an improvised way, in one of the most needy positions in the Brazilian team in recent years.
