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A32 sports
Diasabra 30 OctOber 2021

Brazil brings Coutinho, Firmino back for WCup qualifiers

but was recalled despite only Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liver-
starting four of Barcelona’s pool), Ederson (Manchester
10 league games this season. City) and Gabriel Chapecó
Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino (Gremio).
also returned to the squad af-
ter recovering from an injury. Defenders: Thiago Silva
(Chelsea), Marquinhos
Leader Brazil will play Co- (Paris Saint-Germain), Éder
lombia in Sao Paulo on Nov. Militão (Real Madrid), Lucas
11, when a win could secure Veríssimo (Benfica), Danilo
a direct spot for the Seleção (Juventus), Alex Sandro (Ju-
at next year’s World Cup in ventus), Renan Lodi (Atleti-
Qatar. Brazil has 31 points co Madrid), Emerson Royal
from 11 matches, six ahead (Tottenham).
of second-place Argentina.
Lionel Messi’s team will host Midfielders: Casemiro (Real
Brazil on Nov. 16. Madrid), Fabinho (Liver-
pool), Fred (Manchester
FIFA has yet to decide on the United), Philippe Coutinho
outcome of Brazil’s suspend- (Barcelona), Lucas Paquetá
ed game against Argentina in (Lyon), Gerson (Olympique
Sao Paulo in early September. Marseille).
The game was stopped after
seven minutes due to four Forwards: Neymar (Paris
England-based Argentina Saint-Germain), Matheus
players allegedly breaching Cunha (Atletico Madrid),
coronavirus protocols. Three Raphinha (Leeds), Gabriel
of the players were on the Jesus (Manchester City), Ro-
(AP) — Philippe Coutin- called up by coach Tite on field at the time. berto Firmino (Liverpool),
ho is back in Brazil’s na- Friday for two World Cup Coutinho hasn’t played for Antony (Ajax).
tional team after being qualifiers in November. Brazil since October 2020 Squad:

Barjuan gets 1st and possibly only chance to lead Barcelona

(AP) — Sergi Barjuan will dent Joan Laporta said that season opener. It faces an al- tack,” Ancelotti said Friday. After reinforcing its champi-
get his first chance to lead Barjuan could possibly be ways hotly contested Basque “We had scoring chances onship squad with Antoine
Barcelona from the Camp in charge for next week’s Country derby on Sunday against Sheriff (when Madrid Griezmann and other play-
Nou dugout when it hosts Champions League match with Athletic Bilbao visiting lost 2-1 in the Champions ers, Atlético had the ideal op-
Alavés on Saturday. at Ukraine’s Dynamo Kyiv. San Sebastián. League) and Osasuna, but we portunity to make a strong
Barcelona needs to win that have to finish better, work start in its bid to repeat as
It might also be his last game to boost its chances of Madrid visits Elche on Sat- on our positioning, and get league champion for the first
chance. avoiding elimination from urday after being held to a more players near the penalty time since it won back-to-
the group stage for the first scoreless draw by Osasuna at spot when we put in crosses.” back titles in 1950 and ’51.
The reserve team coach was time in two decades. the Santiago Bernabéu. Instead, it sits in sixth place
promoted to act as caretaker Atlético will be without Di- at five points off the pace and
coach for the first team fol- Laporta said the club won’t Carlo Ancelotti’s team has ego Simeone for its home level with Rayo and Osasuna,
lowing the firing of Ronald be rushed in its search for a only one win in its last four match against in-form Betis the two surprises of the sea-
Koeman. Barjuan inherited coach amid some reports that league games, a poor run that on Sunday after the Argen- son.
a side that is in ninth place former player Xavi Hernán- has let Barcelona stay in strik- tine coach was sent off with
in the Spanish league, after dez is his favored candidate. ing distance at only six points two yellow cards for com- Osasuna takes its unbeaten
back-to-back losses to Rayo behind Madrid. plaining in a 2-2 draw at Le- road record of four wins and
Vallecano and Real Madrid, The only thing going for Bar- vante. a draw to Sevilla on Saturday.
and struggling to score since celona right now is that most “We need to work on our at-
the departure of Lionel Mes- rivals are not taking full ad-
si. vantage of the woeful results
that cost Koeman his job.
It could have been a chance to
rest players and still pick up Real Sociedad was the only
three points against a mod- top team to win last round in
est rival like Alavés. Now it’s games played midweek.
become a match of great im-
portance, Barjuan said Friday. Sweden striker Alexander
Isak has taken over the scor-
“I have very little time to ing duties for Sociedad while
work with and arrive at a dif- injured top-scorer Mikel
ficult moment ... but I want Oyarzabal recovers. Isak
to bring back some joy to our scored in a 2-2 draw at Atlé-
game,” said Barjuan, who tico Madrid last weekend
played under Johan Cruyff before he got the first goal
as a Barcelona left back from in a 2-0 win at Celta Vigo on
1993 to 2002. Thursday, helping to lift So-
ciedad three points clear at
“The league is still wide open the top ahead of Real Madrid,
and we cannot drop any more Sevilla and Real Betis.
points, especially at home.”
Sociedad hasn’t lost in 13
As well as the game against games in all competitions
Alavés, Barcelona presi- since being defeated in its