Richarlison earns Brazil Olympic call-up

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 2– Everton forward Richarlison and Arsenal striker Gabriel Martinelli were Friday among six players drafted into Brazil’s squad for the Tokyo Olympics. The Premier League duo replace Flamengo’s Pedro and Zenit Saint Petersburg’s Malcom, the Brazilian Football Confederation said in a statement, without giving reasons for the…

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 2 (Xinhua) — Everton forward Richarlison and Arsenal striker Gabriel Martinelli were Friday among six players drafted into Brazil’s squad for the Tokyo Olympics.

The Premier League duo replace Flamengo’s Pedro and Zenit Saint Petersburg’s Malcom, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said in a statement, without giving reasons for the withdrawals.

Head coach Andre Jardine also called up Lucao (Vasco da Gama), Reinier (Borussia Dortmund), Bruno Fuchs (CSKA) and Abner (Athletico Paranaense), as he capitalized on new rules that allow teams to expand their squads to 22 from a previous limit of 18.

Earlier on Friday, world football governing body FIFA said the changes were introduced because of challenges related to COVID-19.

Brazil has been drawn in the same group as Germany, Cote d’Ivoire and Saudi Arabia for the Olympic tournament, which will take place from July 21 to August 7. Enditem