Willian ruled out of Copa final

Willian is Brazil's only absentee for the final at the Maracana. Reuters

Rio de Janeiro: Brazil winger Willian has been ruled out of Sunday's Copa America final against Peru due to a muscle injury, his side said in a statement on Thursday.

Willian, who will remain with the team at their training base ahead of the final, scored Brazil's final goal in their 5-0 drubbing of Peru in the group stage and scored in their penalty shootout victory over Paraguay in the quarterfinals.

He was brought on for winger Everton at half-time in his side's 2-0 win over Argentina in the semifinals, but tests on Wednesday revealed he had sustained a muscle injury.

Willian was a late replacement in the squad for Neymar, who was forced to miss the tournament in his home country after sustaining an ankle injury in a friendly against Qatar in June.

Willian is Brazil's only absentee for the final at the Maracana, where the five-time World Cup winners will be eyeing their first major trophy since lifting the 2007 Copa America.

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Onmanorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.