Endrick replaces Vini Jr. in Brazil’s lineup for the Copa duel in Uruguay

Real Madrid-bound teenager Endrick will play for Brazil in Saturday’s Copa América quarter-final against Uruguay in place of the suspended Vinícius Júnior, coach Dorival Junior confirmed.

“We lost an important player, but gained another young man waiting for an opportunity. Maybe it’s Endrick’s time to shine,” Dorival reportedly said Friday at a pre-game press conference at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Endrick, a 17-year-old striker who will soon join Vinícius in Madrid after a spell at Palmeiras, played in all three Copa group matches, but only as a substitute.

“Endrick is not necessarily a kind of stationary reference point, a kind of number 9 who prefers to take the pivot position. He is a player who moves around the field and makes those runs,” added Dorival.

In attack, without Vinícius, who is suspended due to several yellow cards, the Brazilians will want to avoid some of the problems that led to two draws in the group stage.

“I hope we continue to find a way to score goals,” Dorival said. “The team’s work revolves around giving attackers the opportunity to finish, to penetrate the box and to attack the opponent’s last line… This will be no different.”

Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa, meanwhile, dismissed the idea that Vinícius’ absence would change his strategy for the game.

“So, personally, I don’t think it has any influence. Brazil is a country with a lot of wingers, both left and right, who play in the biggest teams in the world today and play at a great level,” Bielsa said in his own press conference.

“So whatever replacement they choose for Vinícius, we won’t be able to neutralise him so easily.”

Earlier in the week, Dorival had questioned the decision to give Vinicius a yellow card in the 1-1 draw against Colombia, which led to his suspension.

“This is a situation that happened in the game,” he said. “On the first move, which was random for me, he ended up getting the first card. Everything that happened was very strange.”

But when asked on Friday about the number of controversial refereeing decisions at this Copa América, Bielsa dismissed any concerns.

“(Refereeing) controversy is never healthy,” he said. “Referees have a very, very, very tough job.”

Uruguay topped Group C with nine points from three consecutive wins, including their latest against the United States men’s national team, while Brazil advanced to the knockout stages with five points and finished second in Group D behind Colombia.

The winner in Las Vegas will face the winner between Colombia and Panama in the semifinals on July 10.

Although Uruguay has the most Copa trophies with 15, Brazil has been more dominant in the modern era: three of its nine titles were won in the 21st century.