Casemiro Out Of Brazil Squad, Pepe In For Friendlies Against England, Spain

Brazil’s national team coach Dorival Junior, has revealed that Manchester United midfielder Casemiro will miss this month’s friendlies against England and_ Spain due to injury.

This news comes as a blow to the Brazilian squad, adding to the list of key players who are sidelined with injuries.

Coach Junior stated, “From a preliminary list of 50 names, 13 had already been ruled out by injury at their clubs. Unfortunately, we also lost Casemiro.”

However, he also revealed that Porto winger Pepe will be stepping in to take Casemiro’s place in the squad.

Pepe, originally a forward but now playing as a midfielder, will be making his second appearance for Brazil, following his debut in a World Cup qualifier against Colombia last year.

The absence of Casemiro adds to Brazil’s growing injury concerns, with players like Ederson, Martinelli, and_ Marquinhos also unavailable for the upcoming matches.

Despite these setbacks, coach Junior remains optimistic about the team’s prospects, stating, “Pepe, from Porto, has been called up.”

In addition to Pepe, coach Junior has also named Vasco da Gama goalkeeper Leo Jardim, Flamengo defender Fabricio Bruno, and_ Porto forward Galeno as replacements for the injured players.

This marks the first call-up to the national side for all three players, providing them with an opportunity to showcase their talent on the international stage.