Football
ESPN 6y

Marcelo exits Brazil match against Serbia with back spasms

Brazil left-back Marcelo limped out of the Selecao's final Group E match of the World Cup with back spasms.

The Real Madrid star pulled up within the first 10 minutes of the match and asked manager Tite for a substitution after a pair of Serbia attacks down his side left the defender well behind the play.

Filipe Luis quickly warmed up and entered the game, with Marcelo gingerly walking off the pitch to be evaluated.

The Brazilian Football Confederation later confirmed he suffered back spasms while trying to make a sprint but is feeling less pain after receiving medication.

World Cup 2018 must-reads

- Make your daily picks with ESPN FC Match Predictor 2018!
- Who is going through? Round of 16 permutations and scenarios

- World Cup Daily live: Follow all the action on and off the pitch today
- World Cup fixtures, results and coverage
- No one does World Cup madness quite like Argentina
- VAR controversy at World Cup shows system needs tweaking
- Do England's young World Cup stars have the potential to be a 'golden generation'?


Asked after the match what happened, manager Tite said: "I only know that he had a problem with his back. I know it was his back, more than that the doctor can explain. He said he locked up when he was leaving the pitch."

His exit marks the latest in a Brazil side beset by injuries for this World Cup. Dani Alves was ruled out of the entire tournament last month after suffering a knee injury while playing for Paris Saint-Germain.

His replacement Danilo was ruled out with a thigh problem before Brazil's second group-stage game against Costa Rica and has yet to return.

Star forward Neymar was in a race to fitness this summer as he recovered from a broken bone in his foot that saw him miss three months of action. And Brazil entered Wednesday's match without super-sub Douglas Costa, who suffered a thigh injury in the 2-0 win against Costa Rica.

^ Back to Top ^