Carlo Ancelotti, the Brazilian national team coach, held a press conference on Wednesday ahead of Thursday evening’s friendly against France (kick-off at 9 pm, CET). He was asked to provide an update on the injury suffered by Marquinhos, the 31-year-old Brazilian defender and captain of Paris Saint-Germain, who was absent from the Seleção’s training session yesterday.
“Marquinhos has a minor issue; he won’t be available for the match against France, but he could play against Croatia. It’s an important time of year, with many matches and important fixtures. It’s normal for players to have some niggles.”
Therefore, there’s no longer any suspense surrounding this Brazil/France match; Marquinhos will unfortunately miss this crucial preparation for the World Cup this summer. At least we can hope that his injury is minor and short-lived, since Carlo Ancelotti has left the door open for him to play against Croatia next Wednesday. Let’s hope for good news soon, trusting the coach and his staff to be cautious for this final sprint of the season.
