Reece James, Bremer racing against time for World Cup

• Juventus defender Bremer is facing a race against time to be fit in tim for FIFA World Cup
• Chelsea and England defender Reece James is also in the same race as Bremer 
• Chelsea manager Graham Potter has said James will wear a knee bracelet to fasten his recovery 

Juventus have confirmed  Brazilian defender Bremer has incurred a hamstring injury that will keep him out for close to three weeks making him almost ineligible to be fit for the FIFA World Cup.

Bremer, who signed for Juve from Torino ahead of this season, has started all 10 of the Bianconeri’s Serie A games this season and has been impressive.

The 25-year-old made his debut for Brazil in September, playing 44 minutes as a substitute in a 3-0 friendly victtory over Ghana.

Brazil and Juventus midfielder Bremer is facing a rush to full fitness ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. | PHOTO: Courtesy |

However, the defender now faces a race to be fit in time to make Tite’s squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Juve confirmed on Monday that Bremer, who was taken off in the 52nd minute of Saturday’s win over his former side Torino, had suffered a “low-grade lesion to the hamstring of the left thigh.”

Bremer faces approximately 20 days out of action, meaning he will miss games against Empoli, Benfica, Lecce, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter but might be fit to feature for Juve in matches against Verona and Lazio ahead of the break for the World Cup, which starts on November 20.

Brazil’s first game sees them take on Serbia four days later. While Bremer’s place in Tite’s squad was by no means guaranteed, the Selecao will be hoping Tottenham forward Richarlison – who has been a key player in recent seasons – recovers from a calf injury in time to make it to Qatar.

Still on injuries, Chelsea manager Graham Potter has fuelled doubts that right-back Reece James will be fit for the World Cup, revealing the right-back will be forced to wear a knee brace for four weeks before even thinking about returning to training.

Despite initial positive scans, further assessments on James’ knee revealed damage that is likely to take up to eight weeks to heal – a time frame which would rule him out of the World Cup scheduled to start later on in November.

England boss Gareth Southgate is set to name his preliminary squad on October 19 and must have finalised his 26-man selection by November 13, by which point James is expected to still be wearing a brace.

Chelsea defender Reece James might not make it to the FIFA World Cup for England with a knee injury. | PHOTO: Sky Sports |

“In terms of his involvement in the World Cup, I don’t know,” Potter admitted after Chelsea’s 2-0 victory over Aston Villa. “It will depend on how he recovers. He will give everything. I’m sure he will. But he is in a brace for four weeks and that slows everything down.

“[He] will be in a brace for four weeks. That’s all I know the next four weeks look like for him and that has implications in terms of what he needs to do to get fit from there but our job is just to help him in the short term now and get him back.”

Potter was also unimpressed with questions relating to the FA’s reported frustration towards Chelsea for allowing James to remain in Milan for a further day in the aftermath of the injury.

Chelsea visit Brentford on Wednesday 19 October in a Premier League clash before hosting Manchester United on Saturday 22 October in a big league clash.