Sports

Brazil faces Paraguay in World Cup Qualifiers

Coach Tite undertakes six changes in the starting lineup

Lincoln Chaves - Repórter da TV Brasil e da Rádio Nacional

Published on 01/02/2022 - 12:30

São Paulo

eliminatórias, seleção brasileira, brasil, treino — © Lucas Figueiredo/CBF/Direitos Reservados

Leading the Qualifiers with 36 points, Brazil has been already qualified for the Qatar World Cup. Coach Tite wants use the final stretch of the South American Qualifiers to improve the collective game and observe players who are still claiming a place in the World Cup. On Tuesday (Jan. 1), the 16th round contemplates the match between Brazil and Paraguay, which has remote chances of going to Qatar. The ball starts rolling at 9:30 p.m. (Brasilia time) in Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais state.

There are six new starters in relation to the team that drew 1-1 with Ecuador last Thursday (Jan. 27), in the Ecuadorian capital Quito. Three by necessity. Full-back Alex Sandro has been infected by the new coronavirus (COVID-19), whereas defender Éder Militão and full-back Emerson Royal are suspended. During the training on Monday (Jan. 31) Tite selected Daniel Alves and Alex Telles as full-backs, and Thiago Silva alongside Marquinhos in the defense.

The other changes were a personal decision of the coach. Continuing the alterations he has been doing in the Qualifiers, Tite will replace Alisson by Ederson. Midfielders Casemiro and Fred will be spared, and midfielders Fabinho and Lucas Paquetá are back after a suspension, making up the sector alongside midfielder Phillipe Coutinho.

The lineup on this Tuesday (Jan. 1) will be as follows: Ederson, Daniel Alves, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva and Alex Telles; Fabinho, Lucas Paquetá and Phillipe Coutinho; Matheus Cunha, Raphinha and Vinícius Júnior.

“From 2016 to 2018, there was no time [for testing]. Today, there is that time, because we did a campaign [in the Qualifiers] that allows us to do that. Does it mean we are despising the game or the opponent? Absolutely not. Excellence is a habit, you have to perform, to win, to be solid. Set pieces have to be good. But it [campaign] expands a little more the possibility of looking for options among young or more experienced athletes,” Tite said at a press conference on Monday (Jan. 31).