Just two fresh faces were due in Asia for the games
against Argentina and Japan but injuries have increased that number to
seven. GBGT takes a closer look at the latest arrivals
When Dunga sat down last month to announce his squad for the Gillette
Brasil Global Tour of Asia, his 22-strong travelling party included just
two new faces as he stressed the importance of establishing a sense of
consistency and continuity within the group. CSKA Moscow right-back
Mario Fernandes came in for Maicon and Inter Milan replaced Marcelo on
the opposite flank.But fast-forward a month and that number has jumped up to seven, after Dunga was forced to bring in a further five newcomers due to injuries that forced Marquinhos, Ramires, Fernandinho and Ricardo Goulart to withdraw from the squad. Gillette Brasil Global Tour takes a closer look at the new arrivals.
| MARCELO GROHE - GOALKEEPER (GREMIO) |
A one-club man, he has spent his entire career with Gremio and earned a late call-up after keeping eight consecutive clean sheets for his club under former Selecao boss Luiz Felipe Scolari. Dunga had originally planned to take just two goalkeepers to Asia but the 27-year-old was drafted in after Jefferson injured a finger while on club duty with Botafogo. The Rio Grande do Sul native has represented his country at Under-18 level but this is his first time with the senior side. He will be hoping to cement his place as Brazil’s third-choice goalkeeper.
| JUAN JESUS - DEFENDER (INTER) |
The 23-year-old rose through the ranks of Internacional in Porto Alegre before making the move to Italy to join Inter in January 2012. He made his international debut later that year before suffering an indifferent spell as part of the squad that Mano Menezes took to the London Olympics and hasn’t represented the Selecao since. However, he quickly rediscovered his form in Serie A and has since been a key member of the
Nerazzurri backline. A left-sided central defender, strong in the tackle and with the pace to make recovery tackles, he can also fill in at full-back and was brought into the squad after Marquinhos was forced to withdraw through injury.
| MARIO FERNANDES - DEFENDER (CSKA) |
Second chances don’t come around too often, and Mario Fernandes is desperate to make the most of his. The CSKA Moscow right-back was thought to be persona non grata with the Selecao after surprisingly rejecting a chance to represent Brazil in the 2011 Superclasico de las Americas against Argentina, citing personal reasons.
But the former Gremio ace says that he is now a different man after finding religion, and his fine form in Russia has earned him a recall. The 24-year-old is hoping to dislodge first-choice right-back Danilo from the starting line-up, after Maicon left the squad during Brazil’s tour of North America last month.
| DODO - DEFENDER (INTER) |
The Inter starlet replaced Marcelo as second-choice left-back for the tour of Asia and is now hoping to make his international debut. The former Corinthians man made only a handful of appearances for the Sao Paulo-based club before joining Roma in 2012. A breakthrough season last term ended with a switch to Inter, initially on loan. Filipe Luis is thought to be first-choice left-back but with his playing time currently limited at Chelsea, 22-year-old Dodo will be desperate not only to make his senior international bow, but stake a claim for a permanent role in Dunga’s starting line-up.
| ROMULO - MIDFIELDER (SPARTAK MOSCOW) |
The athletic midfielder first displayed his range of passing when he broke into the Vasco team as a teenager. He was one of the outstanding performers of Brazil’s Olympic campaign in 2012 and quickly earned a big-money move to Spartak Moscow.
He made an impressive start to life in Russia, famously giving his side the lead over Barcelona in a Champions League tie at Camp Nou. Disaster soon struck, however, when he suffered a serious knee injury that led to a lengthy spell on the sidelines. He has eight senior caps for the Selecao but has not appeared for his country since September 2012. The 24-year-old replaced Fernandinho in the squad and could be the passing midfielder some feel the team is lacking.
| SOUZA - MIDFIELDER (SAO PAULO) |
Souza has spent most of the last four years looking for a home. The defensive midfielder began his career with Vasco before a 2010 move to Porto. But life in Portugal didn’t work out as expected and he returned to join Gremio two years later.
He became a regular in Porto Alegre but joined Sao Paulo on loan for the current season where he has been in superb form, anchoring a midfield that allows Kaka and Paulo Henrique Ganso the freedom to shine further forward. The 25-year-old was drafted in to replace to replace Chelsea midfielder Ramires and is another hoping to make his first appearance for Brazil.
| KAKA - MIDFIELDER (SAO PAULO) |
The former World Player of the Year is back with the Selecao after over 18 months in the international wilderness. The fulcrum of Dunga’s side during the coach’s previous spell in charge, he enjoyed his best years for Brazil under the current boss.
His last appearance for the Selecao came just as coach Mano Menezes was experimenting with a false nine system, which Dunga has also implemented since succeeding Scolari. He was a late inclusion after Cruzeiro’s Ricardo Goulart had to drop out of the squad because of injury. And with a move to Orlando scheduled for the end of the year, Kaka knows he will have to impress his old boss in Asia if he is to be part of Brazil’s future.
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