Brazil will face Uruguay in the Copa America quarter-final without Vinicius Jr., much to the disappointment of head coach Dorival Junior.
The 23-year-old forward received a yellow card early in Brazil’s final group stage match against Colombia, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
Vinicius Jr. contested the decision with referee Jesus Valenzuela to no avail. He will now sit out due to a one-game suspension for accumulating yellow cards.
Vinicius Jr. showcased his importance to Dorival Junior by scoring twice in Brazil’s 4-1 victory over Paraguay in their second group match. Despite not hitting top form in the group stage, where they also drew with Costa Rica, Brazil now faces a tougher task against Uruguay without their influential forward.
Brazil’s head coach expressed his frustration to reporters after the game. He said:
“It was very strange, the booking. It was the first challenge of the game. But people say we have to learn to play without our big stars, so now is the time.
“In certain moments, we won’t have important players. We’ve already lost Neymar. It’s a moment for other players to step up.”
Vinicius Jr. is currently tied for second in the Copa America Golden Boot race with two goals, behind Argentina’s Lautaro Martinez who leads with four goals.
