A decisive day is coming for Brazil. The team, which with two victories already guaranteed their qualification to the quarterfinals of the Copa América in 2021, returned to training this Monday, after a day off on Sunday, with a view to their match on Wednesday for the third day of Group B .
The team led by the Brazilian coach, Adenor Leonardo Bacchi ‘Tite’, returned this Monday afternoon to the fields of Granja Comary after having enjoyed a small party and a barbecue on Sunday thanks to the coach granting a day of rest.
The coach led a series of technical and tactical activities ahead of Wednesday’s match with Colombia at the Nilton Santos stadium in Rio de Janeiro, in which Brazil hopes to confirm its favoritism for the Cup title after having beaten Venezuela 3-0 and 4-0 to Peru.
Unlike other training sessions, where it was possible to see Brazil’s tactical work and perceive the likely team line-up, the video broadcast of the practice was interrupted before Tite separated the potential starters.
As a consequence of the restrictions imposed to stop the COVID pandemic, the press does not have access to the Comary Farm and access to training is linked to the virtual broadcasts allowed by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).
In the few minutes of transmission, however, it was possible to see that defender Felipe, an Atlético de Madrid player who suffered a right knee injury last Thursday, is still absent from training. The player was again subjected to physiotherapy sessions and, although he has not yet been cut from the squad list, his presence in the match against Colombia was practically ruled out.
Felipe, however, is Tite’s fourth defender option, who has been giving preference to Marquinhos, Thiago Silva and Éder Militao.
Despite the fact that the broadcast did not allow us to perceive possible changes in the Brazilian line-up, it is most likely that the coach will continue to rotate his players to give the least used opportunities and experiment with new options for attack and defense.
The team aligned against Peru, for example, had six alterations with respect to the one that beat Venezuela, and an unprecedented tactical option, since Tite aligned Neymar as a creative next to three forwards.
The coach has already sent 21 of the 24 players he called up for the Copa América to the field. The only ones who have not acted so far are goalkeeper Weverton, defender Felipe and midfielder Douglas Luiz. A victory over the coffee growers guarantees the Copa América hosts first place in the Group B standings, giving them an advantage in the quarterfinal tie-up.