Brazil boss Tite provides pessimistic Alex Sandro update ahead of Croatia quarter-final

The 31-year-old has missed the Selecao's last two matches after sustaining a hip injury in the final five minutes of the group-stage win over Switzerland on November 28.

Sandro has since returned to light training, with his first session taking place away from the main group accompanied by the team's physical trainer.

Tite has revealed that the Juventus defender will train again on Thursday, but acknowledges that he may not recover in time to play against Croatia as his injury is "different" to those suffered by both Neymar and Danilo in the group stage.

Neymar and Danilo picked up ankle ligament injuries in Brazil's opening victory against Serbia, but they both returned to the starting lineup for the 4-1 win over South Korea in the last 16 on Monday.

Speaking at a pre-match press conference on Thursday, Tite said: "[Sandro] will train in the afternoon to have availability. But the trend is towards non-participation.

"He has a different injury (compared with Neymar and Danilo). He still needs to push a little harder. I have to see the medical and physical department. It will depend on this afternoon."

Indeed, Danilo - traditionally a right-back - started at left-back against South Korea in the absence of Sandro and is expected to continue in this position against Croatia.

Danilo, who is a close friend of Juventus teammate Sandro, has expressed his support to the left-back and hopes he will make a speedy recovery in time for Friday's clash.

"We have to wait for Alex Sandro to train and we hope he is healthy and available," Danilo said at the press conference.

"I'm fine, I'm healed, I could tell in the last game," Danilo added. "If I play on the right, left, in the centre of the defence, it doesn't matter. For me, it's something natural.

"I think that in the very near future I'm going to be a [central] defender, because that's where I've enjoyed playing the most."

With Danilo set to continue at left-back on Friday, Real Madrid centre-back Eder Militao is expected to start again at right-back, with Thiago Silva and Marquinhos retaining their places in central defence.

Brazil will be without Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus and Sevilla's Alex Telles for the rest of the World Cup due to knee injuries, with the former having already undergone successful surgery after flying back to London.

The Selecao, who have been knocked out in the quarter-finals in three of the last four World Cups, will be seeking to keep their hopes of lifting a record-extending sixth world title alive with a victory over 2018 runners-up Croatia, who beat Japan on penalties in the last 16.