Gabriel Jesus back but Brazil's Tite drops Thiago Silva

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus was back in coach Tite’s Brazil squad announced on Friday but Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Thiago Silva was left out.

Brazil will play two friendlies in Saudi Arabia next month, one against the hosts and the other against bitter rivals Argentina, who will be without Lionel Messi.

Another notable absentee from Tite’s squad is Juventus forward Douglas Costa, who was injured during his club’s 2-0 Champions League win away to Valencia on Wednesday and was earlier this week banned for four Serie A matches for spitting in the face of Sassuolo winger Federico Di Francesco last weekend.

“Douglas Costa wasn’t picked for two reasons: injury and indiscipline,” said Tite.

With Thiago Silva replaced by Bordeaux centre-back Pablo, PSG have only two players in the 23-man squad, Neymar and Marquinhos.

Gabriel Jesus missed the friendly victories over the United States (2-0) and El Salvador (5-0) earlier this month, both in the US.

Brazil will play Saudi Arabia on October 12 and Argentina, who are resting Messi for the rest of the year, four days later.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool/ENG), Ederson (Manchester City/ENG), Phelipe (Gremio)

Defenders: Alex Sandro (Juventus), Marcelo (Real Madrid/ESP), Danilo (Manchester City/ENG), Fabinho (Liverpool/ENG), Marquinhos (Paris SG/FRA), Miranda (Inter Milan/ITA), Pablo (Bordeaux/FRA), Eder Militao (Porto/POR)

Midfielders: Arthur (Barcelona/ESP), Casemiro (Real Madrid/ESP), Fred (Manchester United/ENG), Philippe Coutinho (Barcelona/ESP), Renato Augusto (Beijing Guoan/CHN), Walace (Hannover/GER)

Forwards: Everton (Gremio), Roberto Firmino (Liverpool/ENG), Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City/ENG), Malcom (Barcelona/ESP), Neymar (Paris SG/FRA), Richarlison (Everton/ENG).