Brazil’s coach Dorival Jr announced that Vinicius Jr would be in the starting lineup for Thursday’s World Cup qualifier against Venezuela, taking the place of Rodrygo.
Vinicius Jr Return to the Squad
Vinicius Jr, who was absent from Brazil’s wins against Peru and Chile last month due to a neck injury, will return to the starting lineup as Real Madrid teammate Rodrygo has sustained a muscle injury during Saturday’s 4-0 victory over Osasuna in LaLiga.
Teammate Eder Militao will have surgery to repair an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) that he suffered during the same match.
Challenges of Multiple Injuries
“I believe we’ve faced many complex situations lately. Regrettably, it’s been one injury following another… and now with Militao,” Dorival mentioned during a press conference on Wednesday.
Dorival mentioned that midfielder Andre and left-back Guilherme Arana will be evaluated to determine their fitness for the match against Uruguay next week, as they were absent from training due to medical issues.
Focus on Recovery and Adjustments
A further in-depth evaluation will occur following the Venezuela match, allowing us to implement any needed adjustments. For the moment, we will focus on recuperating from how the injuries have been managed, he stated.
Neymar Hamstring Setback
Neymar, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer, made his comeback for Al-Hilal last month following a year-long recovery from a severe knee injury.
Nevertheless, he has been pushed to the sidelines once more due to a hamstring injury sustained during last week’s 3-0 victory against Iranian team Esteghlal in the Asian Champions League Elite.
Support and Resilience
“Neymar’s comeback has been a slow process. Enduring a situation like that is challenging. It builds strength and resilience. While nobody wishes for such experiences, they occur. We are supporting each of them and hoping for a swift recovery.”
Building on Recent Momentum
After winning their last two games, Dorival stated that his team would be looking to build on the momentum they have gained and move up to fourth place in South American qualifying with 16 points from 10 games.
Upcoming Matches
“If we manage to replicate our performance from the previous two games, we will build momentum. It’s not finished yet. We are demonstrating progress, even if it’s not exactly what we aimed for.”
Brazil will travel to Venezuela on Thursday and then welcome third-placed Uruguay five days later.
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