Doha: With superstar Neymar out of the next two matches due to injury, the football world is eagerly awaiting the changes made by the coach in the game plan and tactics of the Brazilian team.
Neymar’s injury at the 2014 World Cup upended Brazil’s fate. However, Brazil has seen many games since then. Tite, on the other hand, has played 25 games for Brazil without Neymar. Apart from Neymar, Tite has a clear plan to include eight strikers in the World Cup squad.
Tite has already proven in the 2019 Copa America tournament that he can play without Neymar. Brazil lifted the cup by defeating Argentina in the semi-finals and Peru in the finals. Neymar was unable to play in the tournament due to injury.
The last time Brazil played without Neymar was against Bolivia on March 30, 2022. The team won the match 4-0. Tite closed the team in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Brazil’s next World Cup game is against Switzerland on Monday.
The laundry will change
Neymar played slightly below the striker against Serbia. Although Tite fielded the team in a 4-2-3-1 game, the attacking style of the team was 4-2-4. Neymar-Richalisson attacked in the middle and Vinicius and Rafinha on the wings.
In the absence of Neymar, Lucas Paquito is likely to come into attacking midfield. In that case, Fredo Bruno Guimaraeso will join Casemiro in defensive midfield. Rodrigo was in that position when Neymar came on in the last game.
With the absence of a creative midfielder, it remains to be seen whether Tite will be willing to try one of Rodrido, Gabriel Jesus or Pedro. Neymar did not manage to make much of an impact in the last game. 83 touches and 42 passes came from the star. Being fouled nine times really affected the game.
