Bruno Guimarães suffers serious thigh injury as Paquetá could regain Brazil starting spot | OneFootball

Bruno Guimarães has sustained a grade three injury to his left thigh, sidelining him for Newcastle and Brazil, which may open the door for Paquetá to return to the starting XI.

ESPN reports that Bruno will undergo treatment in Brazil and is expected to be out for eight to 10 weeks. That timeframe does not necessarily rule him out of the World Cup in June.

Carlo Ancelotti has recently preferred Bruno Guimarães from the start, with Paquetá named among the substitutes. In Brazil's most recent match, Paquetá entered after the break to replace the Newcastle midfielder.

Paquetá could take the starting role in the upcoming friendlies. Brazil face France on 26 March and Croatia on 31 March, both matches friendlies.

After Paquetá scored in a 3-0 win over Chile in September 2025, Ancelotti praised his quality and highlighted his versatility, noting he can operate in midfield, in a deeper role or as a creator.

Brazil begin their 2026 World Cup campaign on 13 June against Morocco in Group C, which also includes Scotland and Haiti.

Source: Coluna Do Fla