Brazilian defender Maquinhos missed the team's training session on Tuesday after suffering an undisclosed injury that meant he also missed his club Paris St. Germain's Ligue 1 win over Auxerre. An injury to the centre-back will mean a major blow to the favourites of the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar.
The Selecao play their first World Cup match on November 24 against Serbia and Marquinhos is a certain first-choice starter or coach Tite. The 28-year-old underwent physiotherapy at Juventus' Turin facilities where the Brazilian squad is preparing for the mega event before flying to Qatar. However, there is no concern about his availability for the World Cup, according to Brazil staff.
Ahead of the game against Auxerre, which was PSG's final Ligue 1 match before the World Cup break, the French champions described the injury as muscular discomfort. Neymar, his PSG teammate, took part after missing Brazil's first training session on Monday due to flight problems from Paris to Turin, where Brazil is holding a five-day camp before flying to Doha on Saturday.
"I heard many times the theory that the players would arrive in peak conditions because of a World Cup in November but we are all worn out because of the schedule," Danilo told a news conference on Tuesday.
"We are not used to playing every three or four days and it's important to rest the next few days. That's why I think it was a great decision to hold a training camp in Europe, close to where most of the players live, a short trip, with no time or weather adaptation. "It will be an advantage to focus on health so we can arrive in the best shape possible in Qatar."
Brazil open their World Cup Group G campaign against Serbia on Nov. 24 before facing Switzerland and Cameroon. The other teams in their group include Switzerland and Cameroon.
