Brazil coach Tite hails competition for World Cup places among players
RIO DE JANEIRO: brazil manager Tite has revealed he will prioritise team balance when he chooses his squad for the World Cup in Qatar later this year.
Tite praised the fierce competition for places, in particular in atack, where brazil has an embarrassment of riches.
“I believe that the balance of sectors (on the pitch) is fundamental,” Tite told brazil’s Sportv, reports Xinhua.
“It’s a great challenge because we have to put together a puzzle that is a football team.”
Titesaidhehasnotyetdecideduponhispreferred starting lineup, citing six possible candidates for the central striker’s role. He said that each player could contribute unique characteristics.
“We have Richarlison, who is a No. 9, as well as gabriel Jesus, Matheus Cunha and Pedro,” Tite said.
“I can’t rule out gabriel barbosa and then there is Firmino. He is a 10 who became a 9. He’s also been used as a midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 at Liverpool,” he added.
Tite has included Flamengo striker Pedro, who is the top scorer in this season’s Copa Libertadores with 12 goals, in squad for upcoming friendlies against ghana and Tunisia.
The five-time world champions face ghana in French city Le Havre on September 23 before taking on Tunisia four days later at the Parc des Princes.
brazil’s record last season makes impressive reading: 10 wins and three draws, with 30 goals scored and just four conceded. It might be thought, then, that the team would be sailing in the calmest of waters in the buildup to the World Cup.
but coach Tite made some waves with his last squad selection before Qatar for this month’s friendlies against ghana and Tunisia. There are some surprises -- and what they actually mean is open to interpretation.
There is only one right-back in the 26-man squad, with no place for dani Alves. does this mean that the veteran has no chance of making the plane to Qatar? Almost certainly not.
The lack of a back-up to danilo shows that the door is still open to Alves. For these games there are a few centre-backs, most notably eder Militao, who can move across to full-back if required.
At his age, Alves needs to be in peak physical condition, which ater his recent move to Mexico is not currently the case. He is being given time to bring himself up to the condition required.
brazil have been drawn in the World Cup’s group g alongside Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon. The tournament will run from November 20 to december 18.
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