Brazil’s Manchester City duo of Gabriel Jesus and Ederson were not part of their country’s first training session in Singapore, as they could not meet up with the start of camping on Monday, ahead of Sunday’s international friendly against Nigeria.
While PSG icon, Neymar and Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino led the assemblage of early arrivals at The Samba Boys’ camp, Jesus and Ederson were expected to land in the tiny island Asian nation on Tuesday, which would be just 24 hours before the first game against Senegal.
Megasportsarena.com gathered that Jesus and Ederson might end up missing out on action against the Senegalese, thereby leaving them fresh to battle Nigeria three days later at same venue, as Brazil wrap up their 2019 Asia Tour in grand style.
Incidentally, the Brazilian lads got an off-field thrill late Monday, as a Singapore musician and Liverpool fan, Ahmad Saifullah was part of a local band that performed for the South Americans at their hotel abode at JW Marriott Hotel.
Saifullah said he was a delighted man on Sunday night, not just because Reds’ rivals Manchester City had suffered a shock 2-0 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers, and because he got an invite with his percussion band, Qara Rosa to perform at the Brazil players’ camp.
The seven-strong percussion ensemble, made up of Singapore Management University students and alumni, livened up the atmosphere with their loud drumming in samba batucada, a Brazilian percussion style, after which the 25-year-old data analyst was excited to meet his Anfield idols, Firmino and Fabinho, who arrived in a mini-van along with Everton’s Richarlison.
It was excitement all the way later on, as the band performed to the best of their talents and what Firmino did along the line made Saifullah’s day, as the 28-year-old Liverpool forward gave the musicians a thumbs-up and went over to take a video with them on their stand.
Ahmad told The New Paper: “The band was told on Saturday evening but I was informed only at about 11pm (on Sunday). But I’m a fan of Brazil and it was too good a chance to miss. We made special arrangements to our respective schedules so we could head to work (or school) straight after and I pre-empted my manager who was understanding.”
