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Brazil coach Tite calls up Rafinha, Augusto and Sandro for friendlies

WION Web Team
England, UKUpdated: Nov 13, 2018, 12:15 PM IST
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A file photo of Brazil coach Tite. Photograph:(Reuters)

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The coach decided to do so after Barcelona's Philippe Coutinho and Real Madrid pair Marcelo and Casemiro pulled out due to injury.

Forced to make some late changes to the squad, Brazil coach Tite called up Barcelona midfielder Rafinha Alcantara, Beijing Guoan midfielder Renato Augusto and Juventus full-back Alex Sandro for friendlies against Uruguay and Cameroon in England. 

The coach decided to do so after Barcelona's Philippe Coutinho and Real Madrid pair Marcelo and Casemiro pulled out due to injury.

Coutinho's absence was expected as Barcelona had announced earlier that he had a hamstring problem that would keep him out for two weeks.

Tite had plans to call Marcelo but the Real left-back had not recovered from a thigh problem suffered in El Clasico, which the Madrid side lost 5-1 against their bitter rivals from Barcelona.

Brazil's football federation released a statement saying Tite had been "waiting to see if he would recover" but after Marcelo missed Real's 4-2 win over Celta Vigo at the weekend it was decided he wouldn't be fit.

Brazil will play Uruguay at Arsenal's Emirates stadium on Friday before taking on Cameroon in Milton Keynes four days later.