Liverpool FC newboy Roberto Firmino is unlikely to feature in the club’s pre-season tour of the Far East and Australia.
The attacking midfielder, who has agreed a £29million move from Hoffenheim to Anfield, will be granted three weeks off by the Reds following the end of Brazil’s Copa America campaign.
Dunga’s men face Paraguay in the quarter-finals in Chile on Saturday night and if they go all the way the final is on Saturday, July 4.
That would mean both Firmino and fellow countryman Philippe Coutinho wouldn’t report for Liverpool duty until after Brendan Rodgers’ squad have returned to Merseyside following their fortnight long tour.
Liverpool fly out to Bangkok on July 12 and face the Thai All Stars on July 14 before moving on Down Under. They have matches against Brisbane Roar (July 17) and Adelaide (July 20) before stopping off in Kuala Lumpur on the way home to take on a Malaysia XI on July 24.
If Brazil were to get knocked out this weekend then it’s possible that Firmino and Coutinho could head out for the second half of the tour. If Firmino does miss the entire tour, his eagerly-awaited debut is likely to be against HJK Helsinki in Finland on Saturday, August 1.
Emre Can and Tiago Ilori are also set to be absentees when the squad head for Thailand. Both are still involved in the Under-21 European Championships with Can’s Germany and Ilori’s Portugal facing each other in Saturday’s semi-final.
However, unlike last summer, Rodgers should have the luxury of having most of his players present from the start of pre-season. Most are scheduled to report back for duty at Melwood on Monday, July 6.
By then the likes of Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Adam Lallana, Raheem Sterling, Nathaniel Clyne, Simon Mignolet, Divock Origi, Martin Skrtel, Mamadou Sakho, Lazar Markovic, Joe Allen and Adam Bogdan will all have had a three-week break following their international commitments in mid-June.
The attacking midfielder, who has agreed a £29million move from Hoffenheim to Anfield, will be granted three weeks off by the Reds following the end of Brazil’s Copa America campaign.
Dunga’s men face Paraguay in the quarter-finals in Chile on Saturday night and if they go all the way the final is on Saturday, July 4.
That would mean both Firmino and fellow countryman Philippe Coutinho wouldn’t report for Liverpool duty until after Brendan Rodgers’ squad have returned to Merseyside following their fortnight long tour.
Liverpool fly out to Bangkok on July 12 and face the Thai All Stars on July 14 before moving on Down Under. They have matches against Brisbane Roar (July 17) and Adelaide (July 20) before stopping off in Kuala Lumpur on the way home to take on a Malaysia XI on July 24.
If Brazil were to get knocked out this weekend then it’s possible that Firmino and Coutinho could head out for the second half of the tour. If Firmino does miss the entire tour, his eagerly-awaited debut is likely to be against HJK Helsinki in Finland on Saturday, August 1.
Emre Can and Tiago Ilori are also set to be absentees when the squad head for Thailand. Both are still involved in the Under-21 European Championships with Can’s Germany and Ilori’s Portugal facing each other in Saturday’s semi-final.
However, unlike last summer, Rodgers should have the luxury of having most of his players present from the start of pre-season. Most are scheduled to report back for duty at Melwood on Monday, July 6.
By then the likes of Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Adam Lallana, Raheem Sterling, Nathaniel Clyne, Simon Mignolet, Divock Origi, Martin Skrtel, Mamadou Sakho, Lazar Markovic, Joe Allen and Adam Bogdan will all have had a three-week break following their international commitments in mid-June.
