Tite calls suggestions Gabriel Jesus played injured “evil lies”

Brazil coach Tite says suggestions he played Gabriel Jesus in Friday’s defeat by Cameroon knowing he was already carrying an injury are “evil lies”.

Arsenal forward Jesus, 25, has since been ruled out of the rest of the World Cup because of a knee injury.

Speaking before Monday’s last-16 game against South Korea, Tite said: “I don’t like hearing lies out there, evil lies.

“At no time do we play for victory at the risk of a player’s peril.”

It is yet to be decided if Jesus and full-back Alex Telles – who has also been ruled out of the rest of the tournament with a knee injury – will remain in Qatar or return to their respective clubs for treatment.

Tite continued: “The liar who’s out there – because that’s the name isn’t it, the haters, right?

“Go do something else and stop giving fake news. We are responsible, we are personally responsible, we are ethical and it would never have happened.

“I didn’t want this to happen, it’s a shame, we are very sorry for Gabriel.”