Brazil have included Casemiro in their squad for next month’s World Cup qualifiers against Argentina and Peru even though the Real Madrid midfielder has not played since fracturing his leg in September.
Coach Tite said they are hopeful the 24-year-old will be fit but have also included Sao Paulo’s Rodrigo Caio as back-up for the games against Argentina in Belo Horizonte on Nov. 10 and then in Lima against Peru five days later.
“Rodrigo Caio is a versatile player,” Tite said. “He is originally a centre back but he has played a lot in that (midfield) position for his club.”
Fun-loving wolf 2018 WCup mascot
Zabivaka the wolf followed in the footsteps of Naranjito the orange, Footix the football-playing rooster and Fuleco the armadillo by being named as the official mascot of the 2018 World Cup yesterday.
FIFA described its latest creation, unveiled during a live TV show in the presence of Russian deputy prime minister Vitaly Mutko and former Brazil striker Ronaldo, as “a wolf who radiates fun, charm and confidence”.
The wolf, whose name according to FIFA means “the one who scores”, received 53 per cent of the more than one million votes cast in a poll, beating a tiger (27 per cent) and a cat (20 per cent).
Drogba fined for refusing to play
Montreal Impact striker Didier Drogba has been fined by Major League Soccer (MLS) for his refusal to play against Toronto FC last Sunday.
The amount of the fine, which was not disclosed by MLS, was consistent with the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Drogba, 38, sat out against Toronto after learning he would not be in the starting lineup.
The Impact subsequently said that the two parties had patched up their disagreement.
Former Chelsea striker Drogba has scored 10 goals for Montreal this season, appearing in 22 games, including 18 starts.
Rodgers calls for respect ahead derby
Brendan Rodgers has urged the two sides of Glasgow’s Old Firm divide to show both passion and respect when their teams face off at Hampden today.
The Celtic boss has been struck by the intensity of life north of the border since taking over at Parkhead earlier this summer.
But he insists he has experienced none of the nastiness the fixture is capable of provoking while out and about in the city.
Rodgers said: “I’ve never had any trouble since I’ve been up here. I’ve enjoyed my football life and my social life outside of here.
“I think it’s important whether you are a Rangers fan or a Celtic fan, you can be really passionate about your club. But we have to live together and respect each other’s passions.”
Lippi appointed as China manager
World Cup winning manager Marcello Lippi has been named as the head coach of China’s national team, the Chinese FA (CFA) said.
The 68-year-old, who won the World Cup with Italy in 2006, enjoyed a successful three-year spell with Guangzhou Evergrande, winning the Chinese League title three times and the Asia Champions League in 2013.
“The Chinese Football Association decided to appoint Mr. Lippi as coach of China’s men’s national team following amicable negotiations,” read a short statement .
Lippi replaces Gao Hongbo, who resigned earlier this month after a 2-0 defeat in Uzbekistan dealt a further blow to the country’s slim hopes of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.
Neymar finalises five-year contract
Neymar has put pen to paper on his new contract to remain with Barcelona until 2021.
The club had initially announced in July that Neymar had agreed a new five-year deal, and a post from the Catalan club’s Twitter feed read: “Done deal! #Neymar2021”
It was accompanied by a photograph of the 24-year-old Brazil forward shaking hands with Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu, with paperwork laid out in front of them.
Bartomeu then tweeted: “We continue working to maintain sporting excellence. Congrats for renewing with Barca, @neymarjr.”
Turin bans Napoli fans for Juve clash
Napoli supporters have been banned from attending their Serie A clash at Juventus on Oct. 29 and the away section of the stadium will be closed in order to avoid crowd trouble, Turin’s city authority announced.
The ban affects all residents in the region of Campania, where Naples is situated, as well as all registered supporters of Napoli, the Turin prefect said.
The city’s security committee for sports events proposed the ban “due to the heated rivalry between the two clubs, which already developed in the past into seriously critical situations for public order”.
The away section of the stadium was closed when the two sides met in Turin and Naples last season for the same reason.