Brazil’s attacking force has taken a hit as Vinicius Jr., the dynamic forward for Real Madrid and the national team, will miss the crucial World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Peru. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) announced the news on Sunday, making Vinicius the fourth player to be replaced due to injury in the squad.
The injury occurred during Real Madrid’s 2-0 victory over Villarreal on Saturday. The club confirmed that Vinicius sustained a neck injury, leaving him sidelined for the upcoming international fixtures. In his place, the CBF has called upon Fulham midfielder Andreas Pereira to join the squad.
This news adds to the mounting injury concerns for Brazil’s coach, Dorival Jr., as they navigate a tight race for qualification to the World Cup. Currently fifth in CONMEBOL’s qualifying table with 10 points from eight matches, Brazil faces a challenging double-header, traveling to Santiago to take on Chile on October 10th before hosting Peru in Brasilia five days later.
The top six teams in CONMEBOL qualify directly for the World Cup, making each match crucial for Brazil. Prior to Vinicius’s injury, Dorival Jr. had already replaced three injured players: Juventus’s Bremer, Liverpool’s Alisson, and Atletico Mineiro’s Guilherme Arana, with Lucas Beraldo of Paris Saint-Germain, Palmeiras’ Weverton, and Botafogo’s Alex Telles, respectively.
Brazil will be hoping for a quick recovery for Vinicius Jr. as they strive for a successful World Cup qualification campaign.
