One good thing about the international break is that when players do interviews about their international teammates we get to hear what they really think about their compatriots.
Players are rarely so complimentary when they face off against each other in domestic competition, but the truth always comes out when players link up for their country.
Manchester United's £70million Brazilian Casemiro has been talking up his fellow countryman and Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes in a recent interview.
Speaking to OGOL (via The Shields Gazette), the 31-year-old has been saying how he enjoys playing alongside Bruno for Brazil.
“Recently, Bruno is a player who has been doing an exceptional job at Newcastle.
“With every workout and every game I’m more comfortable with him. He is a great player, who has been demonstrating this in the most difficult competition in the world.
“It’s not up to me to determine who I’m going to play with, but of course, when you play longer with a player, you have a greater adaptation.”
Bruno and Casemiro seem to be the starting duo in the middle of the Brazilian midfield, but Bruno's clubmate Joelinton is returning to fitness and, after recently finding himself called up to the Brazil squad, will be looking to return to the national set-up and will be pushing to displace Casemiro alongside his brother in arms.
Joelinton and Bruno have become inseparable since the latter's arrival last January and as their friendship off the pitch has blossomed so too has their understanding on it. As much as Eddie Howe has improved Joelinton, it's a safe bet that Bruno Guimaraes' arrival at Newcastle has gone a long way to helping him too.
It's very likely that it's the link-up play between the two that has led to Joelinton becoming a Brazil international.
PL | GD | PTS | ||
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1 |
Liverpool
|
13 | 18 | 34 |
2 |
Arsenal
|
13 | 12 | 25 |
3 |
Chelsea
|
13 | 12 | 25 |
4 |
Brighton
|
13 | 5 | 23 |
5 |
Manchester City
|
13 | 3 | 23 |
6 |
Nottingham Forest
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13 | 3 | 22 |
7 |
Tottenham Hotspur
|
13 | 14 | 20 |
8 |
Brentford
|
13 | 3 | 20 |
9 |
Manchester United
|
13 | 4 | 19 |
10 |
Fulham
|
13 | 0 | 19 |
11 |
Newcastle United
|
13 | 0 | 19 |
12 |
Aston Villa
|
13 | -3 | 19 |
13 |
Bournemouth
|
13 | 1 | 18 |
14 |
West Ham United
|
13 | -7 | 15 |
15 |
Everton
|
13 | -11 | 11 |
16 |
Leicester
|
13 | -11 | 10 |
17 |
Crystal Palace
|
13 | -7 | 9 |
18 |
Wolves
|
13 | -10 | 9 |
19 |
Ipswich
|
13 | -11 | 9 |
20 |
Southampton
|
13 | -15 | 5 |