PORTO ALEGRE, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Brazil head coach Tite said Saturday that he has yet to decide who will replace injured star Neymar on the left side of attack as the five-time world champions prepare to host the Copa America.
Brazil will meet Honduras in a friendly at Porto Alegre's Beira-Rio stadium on Sunday, the team's last outing before they kick off the continental tournament against Bolivia in Sao Paulo on Friday.
Ajax forward David Neres is favored to take Neymar's place but Tite also raised the prospect of using Liverpool's Roberto Firmino or AC Milan's Lucas Paqueta.
"It won't necessarily be Neres [who replaces Neymar]," Tite told a news conference. "There has been no decision. What happens on the pitch will decide. We could have Gabriel [Jesus] and Firmino up front. Why not? We could also have Paqueta on the [left]. The team is a living organism. It expresses itself and this means things can change."
Neymar was ruled out of the tournament after suffering an ankle ligament injury in Brazil's 2-0 victory over Qatar in Brasilia on Wednesday.
Chelsea winger Willian was subsequently drafted into Brazil's squad but the 30-year-old is not expected to vie for a starting berth in the Copa America.
Tite had words of support for Neymar, who is under police investigation after a woman accused him of raping her in a Paris hotel last month.
"The feeling is of concern for the human side, to be able to deal with his problems and frustration of [not playing]. For me he is one of the top three players in the world," Tite said of the Paris Saint-Germain forward.
In addition to Bolivia, eight-time Copa America winners Brazil will face Peru and Venezuela in the competition's group stage.
