7 Brazilians absent from training before facing Scotland

The Brazilian national football team trained on Sunday in the absence of seven players, including the main defense four, in preparation for its match scheduled for Wednesday against Scotland in East Rutherford (New Jersey/New York), where it seeks to qualify for the round of 32 for the 2026 World Cup.
In addition to full-backs Danilo and Douglas Santos and centre-backs Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhaes, the “Seleção”, led by its Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, began training at the “Red Bull” complex in New York in Moorestown (New Jersey) without midfielder Casemiro, striker Matthews Cunha and winger Rafinha.
A source in the Brazilian Football Confederation told reporters that the seven players underwent recovery exercises in the fitness hall.
Rafinha suffered an injury to his right thigh during the victory over Haiti (3-0) on Friday in Philadelphia, and it was announced that he would be absent from the upcoming confrontation against the Scots, which is the last in the third group for the five-time world champion.
The Barcelona star, who suffered several injuries to this leg during the season, will undergo “intensive treatment” in an attempt to recover quickly, according to what the Brazilian Federation reported.
But the Federation did not set a date for the 29-year-old player’s return, which may threaten his participation in the rest of the World Cup campaign.
Ancelotti (67 years old) supervised Sunday’s session, directing the work of 16 field players who attended the training, including veteran star Neymar, who is expected to participate against Scotland after more than a month of absence due to a muscle injury in his right calf.
On the other hand, the three goalkeepers, Alisson Becker, Ederson and Weverton, conducted special training under the supervision of a team of goalkeeper coaches led by Claudio Taffarel, who won the 1994 World Cup with the Seleção.
Brazil leads Group C on goal difference against Morocco, and is on the verge of qualifying for the round of 32, as a draw on Wednesday against Scotland is enough for it to reach the knockout rounds.
But the Samba team aspires to achieve victory in order to enter the next stage in better conditions.
As for Scotland (3 points), it needs at least a draw in order to maintain its hopes of qualifying as one of the best third-place finishers, or a win to grab the qualification ticket directly.
In the other match of the group, Morocco will meet Haiti, which was eliminated from the tournament, in Atlanta at the same time.