Brazil will seek to secure a second consecutive victory when they head to Asuncion for their 2026 World Cup qualifier against Paraguay on Tuesday. Currently, the Selecao are positioned in fourth place with 10 points, while Paraguay trails four points behind in seventh.
Paraguay has recently appointed a new manager, Gustavo Alfaro, after parting ways with Daniel Garnero following a lackluster performance in the 2024 Copa America, where they failed to advance past the group stage for the first time since 2016.
Gustavo Alfaro, who replaced Daniel Garnero, managed to achieve a goalless draw in his debut match against Uruguay, leaving Paraguay with six points and in the inter-confederation playoff spot, two points behind the automatic qualifying positions.
Paraguay vs. Brazil: Team Form and Head-to-Head
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Paraguay, having won only one of their seven World Cup qualifiers so far, faces a tough challenge against Brazil, with their last win over Brazil dating back to June 2008. The hosts have had mixed results in their three home qualifiers this cycle: drawing with Peru, defeating Bolivia, and losing to Colombia.
Despite beating Paraguay in the 2024 Copa America, Brazil’s overall performance in that tournament was disappointing, with only one win and a quarter-final exit on penalties. Brazil recently broke a four-game winless streak in qualifying with a narrow 1-0 victory over Ecuador, thanks to Rodrygo’s first-half goal.
Under Dorival Junior, who has led the team since the beginning of the year, Brazil has achieved four wins and five draws. Brazil is confident about their chances for another win, having triumphed in four of their last five meetings with Paraguay, including a decisive 4-1 victory in the 2024 Copa America group stage. Additionally, Brazil has won their last three World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay without conceding a goal, including a 2-0 away win in June 2021.
Team News
Paraguay will be without defender Gustavo Gomez, who is suspended after receiving a second yellow card in the goalless draw against Uruguay. Fabian Balbuena is expected to replace Gomez in central defence alongside Omar Alderete. Midfielder Mathias Villasanti, who made a significant impact off the bench in the previous match, is also in contention for a starting role.
Brazil will miss Real Madrid’s Eder Militao due to injury, and Borussia Dortmund’s Yan Couto, Manchester City’s Savinho, and Flamengo’s Pedro are also unavailable because of their respective injuries. Dorival Junior might retain the same starting lineup from the Ecuador match, which would see Luiz Henrique starting again in attack with Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior, while Endrick might remain on the bench.
Paraguay vs. Brazil: Possible Starting Lineups
Paraguay: Fernandez; Velazquez, Balbuena, Alderete, Alonso; Gomez, Villasanti, Bobadilla; Almiron, Enciso, Pitta
Brazil: Alisson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Arana; Andre, Guimaraes, Paqueta; Henrique, Vinicius, Rodrygo
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