Rodrygo, nor on the bench; Militao, green light to return

The first game of the international break in Brazil started with three madridistas in the starting field and one directly in the stands. The week was marked by controversy, after Madrid’s request that the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) release the four whites called up (Casemiro, Militao, Vinicius and Rodrygo) so that they could play in the quarterfinals of the Cup against Athletic; At least Madrid wanted them to be able to return after Brazil’s first match, in Ecuador, in time for San Mamés, but Tite and the CBF were inflexible.

The CBF’s excuse was always that it was an opportunity for Tite to work with the players in order to form the group that will go to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The coordinator of the Seleçao, Juninho Paulista, told it like this in El Larguero de la SER: “We cannot set a precedent. We have had requests from other clubs and we cannot do it. We have few days with the players, so we have to take advantage of them mainly this year because we start the preparation for the World Cup. Tite explained the whole situation to Ancelotti and he understood it.”

Two goalkeepers before Rodrygo

The surprise came with the announcement of Brazil’s first starting eleven in this break, against Ecuador in Quito: Militao, Casemiro and Vinicius joined the starting team, but Rodrygo was left out of the squad and watched the game from the stands. A shocking decision Rodrygo made the almost 9,000 kilometers to Quito to not even have the opportunity to enter the second part.

At Real Madrid there is no physical problem on the part of the Brazilian, so Tite’s decision is motivated solely by a technical issue. Although it is curious that the Brazil coach preferred to have two goalkeepers on the bench (Ederson and Weverton) rather than just one and a different solution in attack. With this precedent, Madrid already knows that it is very likely that Rodrygo will be in the eleven of the second game, against Paraguay.

The madridistas who did participate in the match had a specific weight in it, especially Casemiro, author of the 0-1 for Brazil hunting a rejection next to the goal line. Vinicius was participatory, although without luck in dribbling, and was substituted at 63′ for Gabriel Jesús to enter.

Militao, for his part, saw the yellow card on the brink of half-time and completed a cycle of cautions; in the qualifying phase for Qatar 2022 of Conmebol, the cycles are two yellow cards and the Madrid central defender has already seen it against Ecuador in Brazil, in June 2021. Therefore, he will not play against Paraguay and has the green light to return to Madrid. Normally, the CBF releases him from staying focused, but after the controversy of recent weeks, It remains to be seen when that authorization will arrive for him to fly back to Spain.