There are many problems to be resolved in Brazilian Teamstarting with Neymar’s absence due to injury, but what gives coach Dorival Júnior the most headache before the Copa América debut is the fragility of the defense.
Although they are unbeaten since Dorival’s arrival in January, Brazil have conceded six goals in the four friendlies they have played since then, against England (1-0), Spain (3-3), Mexico (3-2) and the United States ( 1 to 1).
In some games, the coach was unable to count on goalkeepers Alisson and Ederson, nor the more experienced defenders, such as Marquinhos, Éder Militão and Gabriel Magalhães.
Therefore, the challenge of improving the defensive system is even more complicated at the beginning of the work.
The team will close the first round of Group D of the Copa América against Costa Rica next Monday, in Inglewood, California. Colombia and Paraguay face each other first, in Houston, Texas.
“It’s natural that we are still far from what we want. For me, football starts from a balance and you have to be effective. Without possession, you need to be a little more attentive and with the compartments closer,” said Dorival.
No balance
But this balance has been difficult to achieve in these five months of work, in a team well served in attack with young Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo and Endrick.
“Until we find a balance, we will need a little more individuality from these players [de ataque] in defensive work, so that later they have more freedom. The balance still doesn’t exist”, said the coach.
Dorival Júnior gives his players carte blanche when attacking, and they responded by scoring an average of two goals per game. However, they need to return to rebuild and help the full-backs and midfield, renewed for the Copa América after Casemiro’s absence.
Without Manchester United’s experienced midfielder, Bruno Guimarães, João Gomes, Douglas Luiz and Andreas Pereira are the midfield men with the mission of protecting the defensive line led by defender Marquinhos and full-back Danilo.
“We have to be a little more intelligent and keep the ball a little more in attack. We are a team that has a lot of quality, so we have to score with the ball at our feet, be able to rotate more, have a little more patience. This way we will keep the ball more and suffer less”, said Douglas Luiz.
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Complicated inheritance
Defensive problems are not new for the Seleção, which will seek its tenth Copa América title, the first since 2019.
Dorival Júnior received a complicated legacy in defense, without veteran Thiago Silva. After being an authentic wall in the Tite era, the Seleção collapsed under the command of interim Fernando Diniz at the start of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers: seven goals conceded in six games, more than the five it conceded during the entire campaign towards the 2022 World Cup.
The pressure is even greater due to the modest sixth position in the Qualifiers, one above the repechage.
On the other hand, Dorival can now count on Alisson, recovered from injury, and the most experienced defenders, as well as the young Lucas Beraldo (20 years old), who was his player at São Paulo and had a good season at Paris Saint-Germain.
With a very young squad looking to improve, Costa Rica seems to be a good opponent in the debut so that the Brazilian defense can regain its confidence and arrive ready to face the biggest teams in Group D of the Copa América: Paraguay (June 28 ) and Colombia (July 2).
“It’s a matter of time, it’s not in one convocation that we will learn all of Dorival’s teachings”, stated Beraldo. “These details will be adjusted for the Copa América.”
Source: Gazetaesportiva
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