Douglas Costa Will Not Travel With Brazil Ahead of Serbia Game Following Thigh Injury

Brazil winger Douglas Costa has not travelled with the rest of his teammates ahead of the Selecao's encounter with Serbia on June 27. The Juventus wide man came on as a substitute during the victory over Costa Rica and had a positive impact on the game, but he will not feature in Brazil's final World Cup group match.

Brazil eventually won their game on Friday afternoon thanks to two late goals - one each from Philippe Coutinho and Neymar, and can qualify top of their group with a victory over Serbia on Thursday.

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However, if they're to do that, it will be without Douglas Costa, who suffered a thigh injury towards the end of the game against Costa Rica.

"Yesterday, at the end of the game, Douglas Costa complained of pain in the posterior region of the right thigh, only remembering that he was injured, but in the left thigh, that is, different from the complaint of this moment," began team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar in a news conference (via ESPN).

"He was diagnosed with a minor injury so he will not travel with us, he will stay in Sochi."

Costa's teammate Danilo was forced out of Friday's match with injury, and while the right back's problem doesn't seem as difficult as Costa's, it appears that he too will miss out on Thursday.

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"They both stay, neither travel, they can not afford the next game. The case that most worries is that of Douglas Costa. Danilo's situation is not much different, but it's a less important muscle, so the outlook is a bit better."