Paquetá almost certain to miss rest of World Cup after grade two thigh injury | OneFootball

Paquetá is almost certain to miss the rest of the World Cup after scans showed a grade two injury to his left hamstring, with an initial return time of about one month. According to Globo.com, he will remain with Brazil’s squad in the United States for treatment under CBF medics.

There is little internal optimism that he will recover even for a possible final, though the CBF has not fully ruled him out and could list him among the substitutes if Brazil reach the decider on 19 July. He is out of the forthcoming knockout rounds.

He was injured late in the first half of the win over Japan in Houston, then underwent tests on Tuesday morning. An MRI confirmed a high grade two strain.

Injured players could only be replaced up to 24 hours before each nation’s first match, a window that closed at 19:00 on 12 June, the day before Brazil’s 1-1 draw with Morocco, so the squad cannot add cover.

Paquetá will stay at the team hotel for intensive physiotherapy in three daily sessions. Without the number 20, Brazil face Norway on Sunday at 17:00 Brasília time at the New York and New Jersey Stadium in the last 16. If they progress, the quarter final is on 11 July in Miami against the winner from a bracket including Mexico, Ecuador, England and Congo.

Source: Globo.com