Douglas Costa injured, will miss Brazil’s showdown with Serbia

What Douglas Costa was able to do in 45 second-half minutes against Costa Rica on Friday resembled a lot of what the Brazilian winger was able to do in the second half of the season with Juventus.

But, with Brazil’s World Cup knockout phase qualification on the line against Serbia on Wednesday, we already know that Costa won’t be taking part in what will easily be one of the biggest games the tournament has seen thus far.

Not even 24 hours after Costa helped inspire Brazil’s last-minute win over Costa Rica to help keep the country’s World Cup hopes alive, he has been ruled out for their third and final group stage game against Serbia. In a very Juventus-like occurrence, Costa has been ruled out for Wednesday’s decisive group stage finale — and maybe even longer if Brazil gets there — with a muscle injury.

Sooooooooooooooooo, that’s not good news.

Costa, as he did with Juventus from January or February on, was a constant threat on the wing during Friday’s 2-0 win. He wasn’t on the field to start the game, but his introduction at halftime provided the much-needed spark that Brazil’s attack didn’t have in the opening 45 minutes.

Costa recorded an assist — something that it seemed like he did in every Juventus game he appeared in during the final couple months of the 2017-18 season — and was an absolute mad man down the wing. He was here, there and everywhere. It was glorious, and Costa only continuing to show that his late-season form with Juventus wasn’t just him beating up on relegation battlers in Serie A.

Let me check...

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...Yeah, that’s pretty good.