ANALYSIS - Raisa Simplicio in New Jersey
Brazil returned to Red Bull Arena on Wednesday for their penultimate training session in New Jersey ahead of Friday’s Brasil Global Tour clash with USA.
And coach Tite, for the first time this week, set out his starting XI, which included Liverpool’s Fabinho and Manchester United’s Fred.
The first 20 minutes was open to the media, who were allowed to remain but were asked not to report on what they saw for the remainder of the session.
Tite then handed out the bibs to denote his first-team, confirming that his side will be made up by the majority of the first-team that contested the World Cup.
Filipe Luis, Marquinhos, Douglas Costa and Roberto Firmino – all reserves in Russia – will also come into the side.
Fabinho is the only member of the starting XI that was not part of Tite’s World Cup squad and will replace the injured Fagner at right-back.
Marquinhos will join Thiago Silva at the heart of the defence, replacing Inter stopper Miranda who was not called up to the squad this month.
Douglas Costa will come in on the right in place of Willian, while Fred replaces Paulinho – who was also omitted from the group this month – in a three-man central midfield with Casemiro and Philippe Coutinho.
Gabriel Jesus, the starting centre-forward in Russia, was also left out of this squad and he will be replaced up front by Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino.
The players were once again in good spirits, with Neymar in particularly joyous mood once more as he continued to play and joke with his close friend Filipe Luis.
Brazil meet USA on Friday at MetLife Stadium.
Follow a new era for Brazilian football by joining us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=640&quality=60)
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=640&quality=60)
