Injuries force Madrid pair out of Brazil squad

Reuters
RIO DE JANEIRO - World Cup playmaker Kaka and his Real Madrid team mate Marcelo will miss two Brazil friendlies over the next nine days through injury, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed on Sunday.
Real coach Jose Mourinho had already said on Saturday that former World Player of the Year Kaka would have to wait a little longer before making his return to international football with Brazil as he was nursing a calf injury.
"The players are prevented from playing due to muscular injuries, as confirmed by scans sent by Real Madrid to the Brazilian national team's medical department," the CBF said on its website (www.cbf.com.br).
It added that Bayern Munich midfielder Luiz Gustavo would miss Thursday's match in Gabon because he had not obtained proof of vaccination needed to enter the African country and would only be available to play against Egypt in Qatar.
Brazil, the 2014 World Cup hosts, meet Gabon in Libreville on Thursday and Egypt in Doha four days later and Kaka was set to make his first international appearance since their World Cup quarter-final exit in South Africa last year.
"He wouldn't have time to recover. It's an injury that has nothing to do with the serious problems of the past," Mourinho said. "It's a small injury typical of those that happen every season and he's going to stay here 15 days to recover."
Kaka has regained his place in the Real squad recently and put in some impressive performances, after a string of injury problems blighted his 2010-11 season.

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