Here we go…

Brazil vs. Argentina

Estádio Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, July 10, 2021

Kickoff: 8:00 PM EDT / 9:00 PM BRT / 12:00 AM GMT

US TV / Streaming: FS1, TUDN, Univision

My Predicted Starting Lineup: Ederson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Renan Lodi; Casemiro, Fred, Lucas Paqueta; Everton Cebolinha, Richarlison, Neymar.

Absences and doubts: Gabriel Jesus (red card suspension extended by CONMEBOL), Alex Sandro (might be fit again, but won’t start)

Notes And Storylines

Brazil vs. Peru

Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos, Rio de Janeiro, July 5, 2021

Kickoff: 7:00 PM EDT / 8:00 PM BRT / 11:00 PM GMT

US TV / Streaming: FS1, TUDN, Univision

Predicted Starting Lineup: Ederson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Renan Lodi; Casemiro, Fred, Everton Ribeiro; Richarlison, Gabigol, Neymar.

Absences and doubts: (in 30-foot-high flaming letters) Gabriel Jesus (red card suspension), Alex Sandro (missed quarterfinal with hamstring injury)

Notes And Storylines

Brazil vs. Chile

Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos, Rio de Janeiro, July 2, 2021

Kickoff: 8:00 PM EDT / 9:00 PM BRT / 12:00 AM GMT

US TV / Streaming: FS1, TUDN, Univision

Likely Starting Lineup: It’s a mystery!!!! (But Ederson will start in goal.)

Brazil vs. Ecuador

Estádio Olímpico Pedro Ludovico, Goiânia, June 27, 2021

Kickoff: 5:00 PM EDT / 6:00 PM BRT / 9:00 PM GMT

US TV / Streaming: FS1, TUDN, Univision

Possible Starting Lineup: Alisson, Emerson, Éder Militão, Marquinhos, Renan Lodi; Fabinho, Douglas Luiz, Everton Ribeiro (Lucas Paquetá); Richarlison, Neymar, Vini Júnior.

Notes And Storylines

I’ve been sick the past few days, so I’ll keep this brief:

• It looks like Tite will ring the changes once again, giving Douglas Luiz his first minutes of the tournament as well as long-awaited starts for Emerson, Fabinho, and VJ.
• CONMEBOL fined Tite $5000 for his comments about the poor preparation for the Copa América. Subsequently, in a press conference on Saturday, he evaded questions about the subject with the classic “I don’t want to get fined”, only to subsequently predict that the pitch in the Marcanã, the current venue for the final, will be so bad that they’ll have to change venues, as is currently being attempted for quarterfinal games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio.
• Felipe has been cut from the squad due to injury, so Bragantino center-back Léo Ortiz (age 25) will join the squad for the knockout stages.
• As for a prediction? While I’d love to see this more exciting starting lineup tear things up from the off, I expect this is going to be yet another slog until Tite decides to go for the jugular after 60 minutes. Brazil 2-0 Ecuador again seems like a safe bet.

Brazil vs. Colombia

Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos, Rio de Janeiro, June 23, 2021

Kickoff: 8:00 PM EDT / 9:00 PM BRT / 12:00 AM GMT

US TV / Streaming: FS1, TUDN, Univision

Likely Starting Lineup: It’s a mystery!!!! (But Weverton will start in goal.)

Notes And Storylines

Time to have a little fun?

Brazil vs. Venezuela

Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos, Rio de Janeiro, June 17, 2021

Kickoff: 8:00 PM EDT / 9:00 PM BRT / 12:00 AM GMT

US TV / Streaming: FS1, TUDN, Univision

Likely Starting Lineup: Ederson, Danilo, Éder Militão, Thiago Silva, Alex Sandro; Fabinho, Fred (Everton Ribeiro), Neymar; Gabriel Jesus, Gabigol, Everton Cebolinha.

Notes And Storylines

The Copa nobody wants to actually play kicks off.

Brazil vs. Venezuela

Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha, Brasília, June 13, 2021

Kickoff: 5:00 PM EDT / 6:00 PM BRT / 9:00 PM GMT

US TV / Streaming: FOX, TUDN, Univision

Likely Starting Lineup: Alisson; Danilo, Éder Militão, Marquinhos, Renan Lodi; Casemiro, Fred, Lucas Paquetá; Richarlison, Neymar, Gabriel Jesus.

On The Bench: Ederson, Weverton; Emerson Royal, Thiago Silva, Felipe, Alex Sandro; Douglas Luiz, Fabinho, Everton Ribeiro; Everton Cebolinha, Gabigol, Roberto Firmino, Vinícius Júnior.

Notes And Storylines

Paraguay vs. Brazil

Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay, June 8, 2021

Kickoff: 8:30 PM EDT / 9:30 PM BRT / 12:30 AM GMT

US TV / Streaming: FuboTV (not available through their free trial since you need the “CONMEBOL & More” add-on package to watch it)

Likely Starting Lineup: Alisson; Danilo, Éder Militão, Marquinhos, Alex Sandro; Casemiro, Fred, Lucas Paquetá; Richarlison, Neymar, Gabriel Jesus.

On The Bench: Ederson, Weverton; Emerson Royal, Rodrigo Caio, Felipe, Renan Lodi; Douglas Luiz, Fabinho, Everton Ribeiro; Everton Cebolinha, Gabigol, Roberto Firmino, Vinícius Júnior.

Unavailable: Thiago Silva (injured)

Notes And Storylines

Brazil vs. Ecuador

Estádio Beira Rio, Porto Alegre, June 4, 2021

Kickoff: 8:30 PM EDT / 9:30 PM BRT / 12:30 AM GMT

US TV / Streaming: FuboTV (not available through their free trial since you need the “CONMEBOL & More” add-on package to watch it)

Likely Starting Lineup: Alisson; Danilo, Éder Militão, Marquinhos, Alex Sandro; Casemiro, Fred, Lucas Paquetá; Richarlison, Neymar, Gabigol.

On The Bench: Ederson, Weverton; Emerson Royal, Rodrigo Caio, Felipe, Renan Lodi; Fabinho, Everton Ribeiro (questionable); Everton Cebolinha, Roberto Firmino, Gabriel Jesus, Vinícius Júnior.

Unavailable: Douglas Luiz (suspended), Thiago Silva (injured)

Notes And Storylines

This Friday, Tite will announce the squad for Brazil’s first games since November, World Cup qualifiers at home to Ecuador on June 4 and away to Paraguay on June 8. No word yet on when the Copa América or Olympic squads will be announced, but the Olympic team will be playing friendlies on the same dates, so expect Tite’s squad to make some concessions in that regard.

It’s been such a long, dark time since Brazil’s last games that it’s hard to have many specific wishes in mind about players to call, and with the Copa América almost immediately following the qualifiers, Tite might well get a do-over if someone he calls completely flops.

So here are a few questions bouncing around in my mind.