Ramon Menezes, interim coach of Brazil, announced the list of summoned for the friendly with Morocco. (AFP)
Brazil will face Morocco without Neymar and with nine rookies to add minutes on March 25 in a friendly in Tangier, according to the list of 23 players presented this Friday by Ramon Menezes, interim coach of the Canarinha.
The coach presented a list with 11 players who participated in Qatar-2022three who have played before and almost a dozen who will wear the ‘verdeamarela’ shirt for the first time.
The star of Paris Saint-Germain, neymar30 years old, will be the great absence, marginalized from the list for a right ankle injury suffered on February 19 during a match of the French championship against Lille.
“He had a sprain and will not be clinically fit to join us. He is under the care of PSG, ”explained Rodrigo Lasmar, a doctor for the Brazilian team.
Among the 11 present at the World Cup, references such as midfielders were called casemiro and Lucas Paquetaand Vinicius Jr. in attack.
Attackers Rony, from Palmeiras, and Vitor Roque, a promising 18-year-old from Athletico Paranense, along with midfielders Joao Gomes, trained at Flamengo and current player for English Wolverhampton, and Andrey Santos, from Vasco da Gama, stand out Among the new faces
“Right now we want to give the opportunity to new athletes, who have been showing very good performance in their clubs,” Menezes said at a press conference.
Without Thiago Silva or Alisson
Among the notable absences: Thiago Silva38, who could announce his international retirement soon, and the Liverpool goalkeeper Alissonholder in Qatar.
Without a coach since Tite’s departure at the end of the 2022 World Cup, where Brazil fell in the quarterfinals with Croatia, Menezes, 50, will be in charge of the first senior game in 2023, after winning with the U-20 the South American Championship in Colombia.
“I know of the responsibility that (the party) has. We are going to face Morocco, which was a semifinalist in the World Cup, it is a very prepared team”, Menezes highlighted about Brazil’s next rival.
According to the Brazilian press, the first option of the Brazilian Football Conference to replace Tite is the Italian Carlo Ancelotticurrently at Real Madrid, but the latter is not expected to make a decision about his future before the end of the European season.
Asked about his interest in staying working with the senior team, Menezes assured that “the story of (Lionel) Scaloni -coach of the Argentina team- serves as an inspiration”, because the Argentine began as an assistant in the team, then he was interim and finally made official, to later become champion in Qatar-2022.
“I see it as a great opportunity (the friendly), but everyone knows that my project here is the sub-20”, pondered Menezes.
List of 23 summoned:
Archers: Ederson (Manchester City-ENG), Mycael (Athletico-PR) and Weverton (Palmeiras).
Defenders: Arthur (America-MG), emerson royal (Tottenham-ENG), alex telles (Seville/ESP), Renan Lodi (Nottingham Forest/ENG), Roger Ibañez (AS Roma/ITA), Eder Militao (Real Madrid/ESP), marquinhos (Paris SG/FRA) and Robert Renan (Zenit/RUS).
Midfielders: andre (Fluminense), Andrew Santos (Basque), casemiro (Manchester United/ENG), joao gomes (Wolverhampton/ENG), Lucas Paqueta (West Ham/ENG) and Raphael Veiga (Palmeiras).
Attackers: Anthony (Manchester United/ENG), richarlison (Tottenham/ENG), Rodrygo (Real Madrid/ESP), Rony (Palmeiras), Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid/ESP) and Victor Roque (Athletic-PR).
