The Brazilian national team players held their penultimate training session this Saturday (27) before the match against Japan with an almost complete team.
Only Raphinha was absent because he continues to recover from an injury to his right thigh.
The training took place at CT Columbia Park, in Morristown, New Jersey, and started at 11 am Brasília time. The players did warm-up exercises and ball activities during the 15 minutes open to the press.
Neymar trained normally during the 15 minutes that were open to the press. The player returned to full team activities last weekend, after weeks of training separately because of an injury to his right calf.
On Friday (26), only three starters participated in training, during the period monitored by journalists. Alisson, Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães, Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães and Matheus Cunha did not participate to avoid physical exhaustion. participated normally in the entire activity.
The team should embark for Houston, Texas, at around 2pm local time (3pm Brasília time). As the delegation travels by chartered flight, without stops and without waiting at the commercial airport, the journey from Newark to Houston should take around 3h45 to 4 hours.
The last training session before the game will take place this Sunday morning in Houston.
Lineup
Team changes cannot be completely ruled outespecially because Japan is a stronger opponent than the teams faced in the group stage and adjustments can always happen. But for now, the expectation is that the coach keep the squad that came on against Scotland.
So far, the likely lineup is: Alisson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães and Douglas Santos; Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães and Lucas Paquetá; Rayan, Matheus Cunha and Vinicius Júnior.
The expectation is that this will take place on Monday (29), at 2 pm (Brasília time), in Houston.
The coaching staff prefers not to wear Neymar out from the start, but he is seen as a luxury option and could be a novelty factor for the second stage. Endrick can be used at the end of the game, as has been the case, to take advantage of the opponents’ fatigue with his explosion.
Raphinha follows her recovery protocol and should not participate in the .
The CBF had estimated a period of 10 to 15 days for his recovery, since the injury on Friday (19), in the game against Haiti. But, behind the scenes, members of the federation prefer not to give a deadline for his return and say that this is the estimated period only for recovery and not for the player to return to the field.
He replaced Raphinha in the match against Haiti and in the match against Scotland and coach Carlo Ancelotti praised his performance in both games. Therefore, the expectation is that he will continue as a starter.
Expectations about Japan
intensity in marking, speed on the flanks and quick transitions to the attack. It is a team with tactical obedience and chemistry, with extremely disciplined players.
The main warnings for Brazil against the blue samurai must be in the defensive system. Casemiro will need a more incisive performance in the central corridor to prevent Japan’s speedy midfielders from triangulating easily.
Danilo and Douglas Santos will have a hard time containing Japan’s full-backs, who make quick transitions to the attack.
Despite the care taken in the defensive system, Brazil’s attack is on the rise and could make a difference in the match. The Seleção’s offensive sector arrives more confident after the good performance of Vini Jr, the consolidation of Matheus Cunha in leading the attack and the entry of Rayan, who fit very well into the team replacing Raphinha.
