Good news / bad news on Bruno Guimaraes as Miguel Almiron helps Paraguay to win over UAE | OneFootball

Bruno Guimaraes and the rest of the Brazil squad were in Le Havre on Friday night.

The decision taken to have the pre-World Cup get together and friendlies in France, due to so many in the squad playing for European clubs, particularly in the Premier League.

With both Alexander Isak and Elliot Anderson having already withdrawn from their international squads due to injury, concerns were also raised when the Brazil camp reported that Bruno Guimaraes had experienced tightness / pain in his thigh and had needed to drop out of training earlier this week with the rest of the squad, with Brazil boss Tite said to be monitoring the Newcastle midfielder ahead of Friday night’s match, to see if he would be available to take part.

Well the game against Ghana last night, the good news was that Bruno Guimaraes was named on the bench, though the bad news is that he remained on that bench, despite a host of second half subs being used. So difficult to know for sure whether or not Bruno has shaken this thigh problem off.

Brazil absolutely dominated the match and were 3-0 ahead at half-time, with goals from Marquinhos and Richarlison (x2) deciding the result, before then Brazil coasted in the second-half without adding any goals. Tite used 17 players in all, many of them from Premier League clubs, with six subs in all made after they went in 3-0 up at the break.

All eyes now on Tuesday night, Brazil playing Tunisia in Paris. if Bruno Guimaraes doesn’t get on the pitch at all in this friendly, then he has to be a concern for Newcastle’s game away at Fulham on Saturday. Having missed Newcastle’s recent games after a hamstring issue was picked up after the Tranmere match, Bruno Guimaraes came back for the Bournemouth match seven days ago and lasted 70 minutes, playing ok but not looking 100%. Here’s hoping this injury issue whilst away with Brazil is nothing to worry about after the international fortnight.

Meanwhile, Miguel Almiron (pictured above) was in Vienna yesterday. Paraguay also accommodating their Europe based players and the Newcastle player starting and playing the full 90 minutes. Almiron with a decent performance as Paraguay absolutely dominated with 21 shots to UAE’s three, whilst it was eleven v three on the corner count.

In the end it needed an 85th minute Balbuena strike to give Paraguay a 1-0 friendly win and a second consecutive victory after beating Mexico earlier this month. Paraguay having won only four of their previous twenty four internationals.

Miguel Almiron and Paraguay now take on Morocco on Tuesday in Seville (Spain).

Full schedule for Newcastle United internationals this month:

Wednesday 21 September

Scotland 3 Ukraine 0

Ryan Fraser coming on with 14 minutes to go and Scotland leading 1-0, within 11 minutes it was 3-0 as fellow sub Lyndon Dykes scored twice, both assists from the Newcastle winger.

Thursday 22 September

Australia 1 New Zealand 0

Chris Wood and New Zealand missed out at the final stage, defeated in a June play-off against Costa Rica for a place in the Qatar World Cup finals.

Now in a double header friendly against Australia (who are going to Qatar), Chris Wood played the first 71 minutes in this 1-0 defeat. Teenage striker Garang Kuol who was recently claimed to be set to sign for Newcastle, remained an unused substitute in his first call up to the national senior squad.

Northern Ireland Under 21s 1 v Scotland Under 21s 3

A comfortable win for the Scotland Under 21s but doing it without Elliot Anderson, the Newcastle teenager pulling out of the squad due to an unspecified injury.

Friday 23 September

Italy 1 England 0

A shocker of a game where very little happened, Nick Pope playing the full 90 minutes as he picked up his ninth international cap, no chance with the winner which was only the second goal the Newcastle keeper has conceded during these nine appearances for England. Pope did ok overall and was one of very few England players to come out of the game with any credit, BBC Sport website visitors ranking only Jude Bellingham ahead of Nick Pope when asked to give their England match ratings.

Brazil 3 Ghana 0

An easy 3-0 win for Brazil and Bruno Guimaraes named on the bench but not used. So no idea for sure either way as to the Newcastle midfielder’s fitness, Bruno having had to sit out group training earlier in the week with a thigh problem.

Paraguay 1 UAE 0

Miguel Almiron playing the full 90 minutes as Paraguay dominated in this friendly win in Vienna, needing an 85th minute Balbuena goal to get the victory.

Saturday 24 September

Scotland v Republic of Ireland (Ryan Fraser) Nations League

Serbia v Sweden (Alexander Isak) Nations League

Northern Ireland v Kosovo (Jamal Lewis) Nations League

Spain v Switzerland (Fabian Schar) Nations League

Sunday 25 September

New Zealand v Australia (Chris Wood) Friendly

Scotland Under 21s v Northern Ireland Under 21s (Elliot Anderson) Friendly

Monday 26 September

England v Germany (Nick Pope and Kieran Trippier) Nations League

Tuesday 27 September

Brazil v Tunisia (Bruno Guimaraes) Friendly (Neutral venue – Paris, France)

Paraguay v Morocco (Miguel Almiron) Friendly (Neutral venue – Seville, Spain)

Sweden v Slovenia (Alexander Isak) Nations League

Greece v Northern Ireland (Jamal Lewis) Nations League

Wednesday 28 September