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Brazil are rocked by an injury crisis with Alex Telles set to undergo a knee scan after limping off the Cameroon defeat…meaning Tite may NOT have fit left-backs for the South Korea clash with Alex Sandro also out, and Neymar could still be unavailable
Brazil could be entering an injury crisis for the round of 16 after suffering further setbacks in their loss to Cameroon.
Despite Friday’s 1-0 loss, Brazil still top group G and will face South Korea on Monday for a place in the quarterfinals.
Much of the injury attention has focused on Neymar, who missed the last two games with ankle ligament damage.
Alex Telles was withdrawn with a knee problem during Brazil’s loss to Cameroon on Friday.
But further injuries to Tite’s roster could leave Brazil without a recognized left-back.
Left-backs Alex Sandro and Alex Telles are facing problems at the moment, along with right-back Danilo.
Sandro was previously sidelined with a hip injury, while Telles left against Cameroon with a knee problem and will undergo a scan.
National team doctor Dr. Rodrigo Lasmar said it was unclear whether Neymar or Sandro would return in time for Monday’s round of 16 match as they have yet to return to full training.
Brazil enter the round of 16 without a left back as Alex Sancho recovers from a hip problem
According to Globo, Dr. Lasmar said: ‘Regarding Neymar and Alex Sandro, we still have 72 hours for the next match, we will have time in our favour. We still have chances and we will wait how this transition will go. They have not yet started work on the field with the ball, this will be done [Saturday], and it is important to observe how they will respond to this new stimulus. Depending on this, they may or may not be able to do it.’
It is more likely that Danilo will return to the Tite team, since he showed better improvements in recent days and returned to training intensively with the ball.
Dr Lasmar said: ‘Danilo has been showing a very positive and satisfactory evolution. He did intense work on the pitch, already with the ball, in a very positive functional adaptation. The expectation is that he does the training normally with the group, we will see how he will feel. Working well, the expectation is great for him to be available in the next game.”
Gabriel Jesus and Alex Telles will be tested after problems during the Cameroon match. Telles was pulled off with a knee injury after 54 minutes, while Jesús left the field ten minutes later complaining of pain.
Neymar has missed Brazil’s last two games with an ankle ligament injury and may not return
The results of Telles’ knee inspection will be crucial, with question marks still hanging over Sandro’s return.
Brazil topped Group G after opening victories over Serbia and Switzerland. Vincent Aboubakar’s stoppage-time goal for Cameroon ended Brazil’s unbeaten start in Qatar, but they retained top spot in the group.
The winner of Brazil’s clash with South Korea on Monday will face either Japan or Croatia in the quarterfinals on Friday.