Vinicius Jr injury threatens Brazil's lineup ahead of Croatia friendly
Muscle fatigue sidelines the Selecao number 10
The 25‑year‑old Vinicius Jr was absent from the collective training session on Saturday, remaining in the gym for specialised recovery work after complaining of muscular discomfort following Brazil’s 2‑1 defeat to France. Initial medical checks ruled out a serious tear and the issue was classified as muscular fatigue, prompting a precautionary exclusion from full training.
The medical department classified the issue as muscular fatigue.
Ancelotti faces growing selection headache
Head coach Carlo Ancelotti now contends with a mounting injury list that already saw the departures of Wesley and Raphinha. The potential loss of Vinicius adds further strain to an attacking line‑up that is already thin, with no immediate replacements called up except young defender Vitor Reis.
Tactical shifts and defensive reinforcements
Veteran defender Marquinhos returned to unrestricted training, allowing Ancelotti to experiment with defensive combinations, initially fielding a back four of Danilo, Bremer, Leo Pereira and Douglas Santos before Marquinhos replaced Bremer. In midfield, Casemiro partnered with Andrey Santos, hinting at a more compact shape against a technical Croatian side.
- Vinicius Jr missed Saturday’s training session.
- Brazil lost 2‑1 to France in the previous friendly.
- Marquinhos is back to full training.
- Ancelotti has not called up replacements for the injured attackers.
- Young defender Vitor Reis added to the squad.
