Brazil have been dealt a significant injury blow ahead of their FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash against Norway, with midfielder Lucas Paquetá ruled out due to a hamstring injury.
Paquetá will miss Sunday's knockout fixture and is unlikely to feature again in the tournament unless Brazil reach the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, according to a report by Agence France-Presse, which cited the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).
The midfielder sustained the injury during Brazil's dramatic 2-1 victory over Japan in Houston on Monday. Paquetá has been a regular starter in Carlo Ancelotti's midfield alongside Casemiro and Bruno Guimarães, making his absence a major setback for the South American nation.
He is currently undergoing intensive treatment and remains the only confirmed absentee for Brazil ahead of the clash against Erling Haaland-led Norway.
Ancelotti is expected to either bring in Danilo Santos as a direct replacement or tweak his tactical approach by introducing a more attack-minded option such as Endrick or Gabriel Martinelli.
Meanwhile, there is encouraging news on the fitness front as Barcelona winger Raphinha has resumed individual training after recovering from the thigh injury he suffered during Brazil's second group-stage match against Haiti. If his recovery continues as planned, he could be named on the bench for Sunday's encounter.
The Seleção, the most successful team in the history of the FIFA World Cup, are aiming to claim their sixth title having been last crowned as the champions 24 years ago when the tournament was co-hosted by South Korea and Japan.
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