Soccer is not just about playing for your club but also representing your country on the international stage. Players like Casemiro know what it means to represent your nation’s colors, even if the games are only friendly matches.
This month will see players return to international duty as many countries face friendly games during the international break. Brazil will also have some friendly games against England and Spain, but unfortunately, it seems a key player will not be present for them.
What happened to Casemiro?
Manchester United midfielder Casemiro has dropped out of the Brazil squad that will play against England and Spain on March 23 and 26, respectively. An injury to the player means he will be unable to play for them, while he could also miss his club’s crucial FA Cup quarterfinal game against Liverpool.
Casemiro was chosen for the squad for the games by new manager Dorival Junior, but it was confirmed on Saturday morning that he had dropped out. Brazil has mentioned that they will be missing 13 players due to injury, with Neymar Jr. also among them. Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson is also going to miss the games, along with Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli and Paris Saint Germain center-back Marquinhos.
🚨🇧🇷 Brazil release official statement on Casemiro as he’s gonna miss the upcoming games due to injury. pic.twitter.com/gA9oUAjfl7
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 17, 2024
Casemiro had a brilliant first season at Manchester United, but his second season is not going well so far. He has only started 21 games, and has missed close to 3 months due to a hamstring injury. His importance to the team means that his absence led to them having one of their worst seasons.
The former Real Madrid player is also a huge worry for his club’s crucial FA Cup game against Liverpool tonight. The FA Cup is their only chance of winning a trophy this season, and it will be a difficult fixture without one of their best players, the Brazilian player.
Who will replace Casemiro in Brazil squad?
Due to Casemiro being unavailable for the upcoming friendly games in Europe, the Brazil coach has chosen a new option. He has decided to call up Pepe, who plays as a winger for Portuguese club Porto.
The Brazilian coach said, “Unfortunately, we also lost Casemiro. Pepe, from Porto, a forward by origin and now a midfielder, has been called up.” Pepe is known to both play as a winger and right back, and he has recently been playing as a midfielder as well. However, he is very different in profile from Casemiro, who mainly plays as a defensive midfielder.
O treinador da Seleção Brasileira, Dorival Júnior, anunciou, neste sábado (16), a convocação do atacante Pepê, do Porto (POR).
— CBF Futebol (@CBF_Futebol) March 16, 2024
Ele foi chamado para o lugar de Casemiro, do Manchester United (ING), que foi cortado por lesão e está fora dos amistosos contra Inglaterra e Espanha,… pic.twitter.com/3SzH0nvKOA
Pepe will represent his country for the second time if he features in one of the matches, as his debut was made in the 2-1 World Cup Qualifier loss to Colombia last year. Whatever the case, Casemiro will definitely hope his country manages to do without him in the game ahead.
