Actual Madrid-bound teenager Endrick will begin for Brazil instead of the suspended Vinícius Júnior in Saturday’s Copa América quarterfinal match towards Uruguay, coach Dorival Junior has confirmed.
“We misplaced an vital participant, however we gained one other younger man in search of a chance. Perhaps it is Endrick’s time to shine,” Dorival informed experiences in a information convention Friday forward of the sport at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium.
Endrick, a 17 year-old ahead who will quickly be part of Vinícius in Madrid after a run with Palmeiras, appeared in all three group phases video games within the Copa, however solely instead.
“Endrick is not particularly a stationary reference level form of quantity 9, who prefers to do the pivot. He is a participant who strikes across the pitch and makes these runs,” Dorival added.
In an assault with out Vinícius, who’s suspended on account of yellow card accumulation, the Brazilians will search to keep away from a few of the points that led to 2 attracts within the group stage.
“I hope that we will proceed to search out the trail to scoring targets,” Dorival mentioned. “The group’s work revolves round offering attackers with alternatives to complete, invade the realm, and assault the opponent’s final line … This won’t be completely different.”
Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa, in the meantime, dismissed the concept that Vinícius’ absence would alter his technique for the sport.
“Nicely I personally do not consider that it impacts it in any respect. Brazil is a rustic that has many wingers, each left and proper, these days taking part in within the largest groups the world over and acting at an important degree,” Bielsa mentioned in his personal information convention.
“So no matter substitute they select to fill in for Vinícius is not going to be simply neutralized by us.”
Earlier within the week, Dorival questioned the choice to offer Vinicius a yellow card within the 1-1 draw with Colombia, which led to his suspension.
”It is a state of affairs that occurred within the recreation,” he mentioned. “Within the first transfer, which was unintended for me, he ended up getting the primary card. The whole lot that occurred was very unusual.”
However, when requested Friday in regards to the variety of controversial officiating selections on this Copa América, Bielsa dismissed any considerations.
“[Referee] controversies are by no means wholesome,” he mentioned. “Referees have a really, very, very robust job.”
Uruguay topped Group C due to 9 factors gained in three consecutive wins, together with most not too long ago over the U.S. males’s nationwide group, whereas Brazil head into the knockout spherical after gaining 5 factors to take second spot behind Colombia in Group D.
The winner in Las Vegas will tackle the victor between Colombia and Panama within the semifinals on July 10.
Though Uruguay have extra Copa trophies with 15, Brazil have been extra dominant within the trendy period with three of their 9 titles arriving within the twenty first century.
