Brazil conducts first training session with only eight players and without Neymar

Rio de Janeiro, 21 Mar The Brazilian national team held its first training session for the matches with Chile and Bolivia for the qualifiers of the Qatar 2022 World Cup this Monday with only eight players on the court and awaiting the arrival on Tuesday of the other 14 players, including Neymar. Just three days after the match with Chile at the Maracaná stadium in Rio de Janeiro, the only ten Canarinha players who have so far performed at the rally participated in a first practice, which was limited to regenerative work in the gym for two of those called up. The defender Thiago Silva (Chelsea) and striker Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal) did not even step on the court because they arrived tired to the Brazilian concentration after their respective matches over the weekend for the English League. Of the remaining eight, only six did work with the ball as striker Richarlison (Everton) and midfielder Philippe Coutinho (Aston Villa) trained separately and limited the practice to a few races and exercises. In the first practice led by Brazilian coach Adenor Leonardo Bachi “Tite”, only goalkeeper Weverton (Palmeiras), defenders Alex Telles (Manchester United), Felipe (Atlético Madrid) and Guilherme Arana (Atlético Mineiro) and midfielders Fred (Manchester United) and Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle) participated. With so few players available, Tite merely guided his pupils in touch training, crosses and finishes. Brazil will only hold its first training session with the full team on Tuesday afternoon, when the other players are expected to arrive, including Neymar (PSG), who returns to the team after missing the last matches due to injury. Brazil will train until Wednesday at Granja Comary, the modern training center that the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has in the mountain city of Teresópolis, about 60 kilometers from Rio de Janeiro. The team will travel to Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday for Thursday's match with Chile at Maracana. It will be Brazil's last home match for the qualifiers and, after the end of all restrictions imposed to prevent the covid pandemic, the stadium has been released in its entirety and the 70,000 tickets are expected to be sold. Richarlison, at a virtual press conference this Monday, admitted that Brazil considers the Chilean national team dangerous, because on Thursday their qualification is played, and that is why he expects the support of the fans in Maracana. The Brazilian team will return to Granja Comary after the match against Chile and will continue its preparation there until Monday, when it will travel to Bolivia for Tuesday's match in La Paz. The only new features on the squad list in the last week were the inclusion of Felipe to replace Gabriel Magalhaes, a defender from English Arsenal who asked for leave because his wife will give birth to their first daughter this week, and the dismissal of striker Raphinha, from English Leeds United and who tested positive for coronavirus and not was able to travel to Brazil. This Monday, in addition, the technical committee announced the disappointment of goalkeeper Éderson (Manchester City) due to the fact that doctors diagnosed him with gastroenteritis, and his replacement by Everson, goalkeeper of Atlético Mineiro. Brazil, which has already secured its ticket to Qatar, is the undefeated leader of the South American qualifiers, with 39 points, and has an almost perfect balance of twelve wins and three draws. CHIEF cm/cms/cav (video)