Brazil lineup vs. France: Predicted XI for international friendly as Joao Pedro, Matheus Cunha start

Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti will have to work around the absences of some notable names for Thursday's international friendly blockbuster with France at the Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts.

Rodrygo, Neymar, Eder Militao, Richarlison, Alisson Becker, Gabriel Magalhaes and Bruno Guimaraes are all out of the squad for one reason or the other, some snubbed by Ancelotti and some unavailable due to injury.

Liverpool's Alisson falls into the latter category, and his absence should see former Manchester City number one Ederson start in between the sticks, shielded by the formidable pairing of Marquinhos and Bremer.

Marquinhos needs just two more appearances to draw level with Lucio in sixth place in Brazil's all-time caps charts - currently sitting on 103 - and he ought to comprise part of a four-man backline also comprising Wesley and Zenit St Petersburg's Douglas Santos.

The latter's namesake Andrey Santos is looking good for a start alongside Casemiro in the centre of the park, and if Ancelotti persists with a 4-4-2, Raphinha and Vinicius Junior should be shoo-ins for starts out wide.

Vinicius and Matheus Cunha led the line in November's 1-1 draw with Tunisia, but Ancelotti is not short of central attacking options, including uncapped duo Igor Thiago and Rayan.

However, Chelsea talisman Joao Pedro is likely to get the nod alongside Manchester United's Cunha for a friendly of this magnitude.

Brazil possible starting lineup:

Ederson; Wesley, Bremer, Marquinhos, Santos; Raphinha, Casemiro, Santos, Vinicius Jr; Cunha, Pedro

> Click here to see how France could line up for this friendly