vs. Location: Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France Brazil roster: Goleiros Alisson (Roma) Cássio (Corinthians) Ederson (Manchester City) Laterais Daniel Alves (PSG) Danilo (Manchester City) Marcelo (Real Madrid) Alex Sandro (Juventus) Zagueiros Miranda (Inter de Milão) Marquinhos (PSG) Thiago Silva (PSG) Jemerson (Monaco) Meias Casemiro (Real Madrid) Diego (Flamengo) Fernandinho (Manchester City) Giuliano (Fenerbahçe) Paulinho (Barcelona) Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool) Renato Augusto (Beijing Guoan) Willian (Chelsea) Atacantes Douglas Costa (Juventus) Diego Souza (Sport) Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City) Neymar (PSG) Taison (Shakhtar) In the first of a number of exhibition matches, Brazil flies to France to face Japan. Fresh off its 41-point, first-place, outstanding CONMEBOL WCQ finish, Brazil now turns from South American opponents to adversaries from other confederations as Tite will now use whatever precious few matches he will have left to conclude the fine-tuning of the squad with all eyes on the 2018 World Cup. Japan likewise emerges from its own confederation's WCQ tournament with an excellent record, as it won 7 matches and drew 1 in the second stage, Group E, with 27 goals scored and none allowed; and, in the final and third round, Japan finished first in Group B vs. 5 other teams, with 20 points, 6 wins, 2 draws, 2 losses, 17 goals scored and 7 goals allowed. With Borussia Dortmund's midfielder Shinji Kagawa as its top WCQ scorer (6 goals), Japanese fans will want to see their main offensive weapon against Brazil's backline of Thiago Silva, Marquinhos, Miranda, and Alex Sandro, Tite will likely be studying what is a surprisingly sturdy Japanese defense. With Maya Yoshida (Southampton, 75 caps); Yuto Nagatomo (Internazionale, 91 caps); and Hiroki Sakai (Marseille, 36 caps), Japan brings a serious defensive line in its efforts to stop Neymar, Gabriel Jesus, Paulinho, and company. Brazilian fans here who are old enough to remember the 1980s and early 1990s will remember that back in the day, Japanese soccer evoked laughs and jokes, some with what Americans may consider racism ("japonês jogando bola?"). But all illusions were shattered in the 1996 Summer Olympics, when Japan beat Brazil 1-0 – a Brazil with Ronaldo, Dida, and Roberto Carlos. Following that tournament, Masakiyo Maezono, a member of that Japanese squad, played for Santos and scored on his debut in a 1-1 draw vs. Portuguesa (santistas later cheerfully nicknamed Maezono "Maizena" – Maizena is a classic, decades-old brand name of a corn starch product Brazilians use in various baking confections). Japan is a nation whose people have made their mark in Brazil, as the latter is the home to the world's largest Japanese diaspora and as the former has seen dozens of thousands of Brazilian immigrants (many of them Brazilians of Japanese ancestry) start new lives in Japan. It was precisely these immigrants, wearing the Brazilian jersey and flying the Brazilian flag during the 2002 World Cup, passionately celebrating every win Brazil achieved en route to its 5th World Cup championship, who constituted a curious and unique sight, as people in Brazil normally do not associate Japanese or Japanese-Brazilians as the type who would fill the arquibancadas of their stadiums. Brazilian soccer is not only famous in Japan, but it has also shaped its teams, with Brazilian expatriates playing in the J-League and Brazilian managers coaching their teams and even their national team (Zico, who led Japan to the 2004 Asian Cup title and to the 2006 World Cup, where Japan lost 1-4 to Brazil in the group stage). While the head-to-head record in the senior level is lopsidedly in Brazil's favor (11 matches, 9 wins, 2 draw, 27 goals scored, 4 goals allowed), and while Brazil handily routed Japan 4-1 in the 2006 World Cup and 3-0 in the 2013 Confederations Cup, Brazil knows that Japan is no longer the weak underdog it once was. Tite did not allow the "já ganou/salto alto" mentality up to the final second of the 18th match (vs. Chile), and Tite is not likely to change his style. Expect an aggressive Brazil to go for a win on French soil against a different, but respectable, opponent – one against whom Brazil will attempt to fulfill Tite's objective with this call-up: "A lista tem um objetivo: oportunizar."
I just saw this!!! WHAT THE FCUK!!! Where's Arthur of Gremio?? He never got a chance to prove himself in the WCQ's @Mengão86 you say something I'll dye your hair like Dani Alves!!
I think that Cassio should get some playing time!! If not vs England that surely vs Japan in the 2nd half, I think Ederson should start or maybe Tite will start Alisson and then save Ederson vs England!!
Neymar and Philippe Coutinho did not play the latest club games for their teams... Have both or one been recovered from their injuries? Otherwise we will see a secondary team....
Wasn't Neymar going through a suspension again? Lol!! But Coutinho will miss the Japan game, but might play vs England on Tuesday!!
Neymar trained fine, Coutinho is out of the first game. But more importantly than all, Paulinho is fine.
Since this is a friendly this is the line up I would use. Plus it will give Tite a chance to look at fringe players!! And I predict we will win this game 3-1!!! GK- Cassio DF- Danilo- Marquinhos- Jemerson- A.Sandro MF- Giuliano- Diego(capt.)- R.Augusto FW- D.Costa- Firmino- Taison
Danilo, Thiago Silva, Jemerson e Marcelo; Casemiro, Fernandinho, Giuliano, Willian e Neymar; Gabriel Jesus. This lineup was seen in a training session.
Neymar missed a pemalty thanks to that stupid ass stutter step he does, but Marcelo scored a rocket with his right foot 2-0 Brazil!!
Maybe my eyes is bad but how after reviewing the Var, you determine that’s a yellow card offense on Neymar.