RIO DE JANEIRO – Brazil national team coach Carlo Ancelotti has included forward Vinícius Júnior in his squad for upcoming friendly matches, asserting that the player’s recent outburst after being substituted at Real Madrid is a non-issue.
The Brazil international had apologized to his Madrid teammates for his visible frustration after being replaced in the recent 2-1 El Clásico win over Barcelona on October 26.
However, the incident did not concern the former Real Madrid manager, who has maintained a strong rapport with the player. Ancelotti confirmed he had addressed the matter directly with Vinícius.
“I have spoken to Vinícius about it; I told him what I thought — that he made a mistake. He understood he had made a mistake and he apologised. I believe the issue is resolved,” Ancelotti stated at a squad announcement press conference. “He is a very important player for us and can help us a lot.”
Squad for November Friendlies
Ancelotti named a 26-man squad for the friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia this month. Brazil will face Senegal on November 15 at London’s Emirates Stadium and take on Tunisia on November 18 at the Decathlon Stadium in Lille, France.
The squad includes seven domestically-based players, notably Flamengo defender Danilo and Palmeiras forward Vitor Roque, who are set to face each other in the Copa Libertadores final later this month.
Noticeably absent is Brazil’s all-time leading scorer, Neymar, who has just returned from a 48-day muscular injury layoff with Santos. “I haven’t spoken to Neymar,” Ancelotti said. “We will see when he can fully recover and play again.”
The coach explained that the upcoming matches are part of the team’s rebuilding process following a surprising 3-2 defeat to Japan in October, aiming to test and evaluate players for the future.
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Disclaimer: This article is based on a press conference by the Brazilian Football Confederation and reports from international news agencies. The views on player fitness and selection are those of the national team coach. CDA News provides this sports coverage for informational purposes, and team lineups are subject to last-minute changes.
