Dani Alves Added to Brazil's 2015 Copa America Squad in Place of Injured Danilo

Brazil full-back Danilo will miss the 2015 Copa America with a knee injury and has been replaced in the squad by Dani Alves.

Danilo, who will play for Real Madrid next season after an excellent campaign for Porto, was expected to fill the spot on the right-hand side of the Selecao defence. But as noted by AS, he’s picked up a knock and will sit out the Chile showpiece.

Alvaro Barrientos/Associated Press

As we can see, Danilo has been in the wars in the build-up to the Copa, per SocialRMadrid:

"

The vicious tackle on Danilo. [@therejectmazkra] https://t.co/ZzcCT7HEDA

— SocialRMadrid (@SocialRMadrid) June 7, 2015"

In Alves, Brazil boss Dunga has called up an experienced alternative; the Blaugrana star has accrued 79 caps for the Selecao. As was evident by the key role he played in Barcelona’s treble-winning season, the 32-year-old is still a quality operator at the highest level too.

However, it will be the first time Alves has been involved with his national team since the 7-1 defeat to Germany in Belo Horizonte last summer. As such, it’ll be intriguing to see how he fares after such a humbling experience.

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Brazil are one of the favourites for glory in Chile, as Tim Vickery of the BBC discussed with Bleacher Report:

For supporters it’s disappointing that Danilo will miss out. He’s been an effervescent influence on the right flank for the Portuguese giants all season, and this tournament represented a brilliant chance for him to nail down a spot in the national side.

It remains to be seen whether this recall is a swan song for Alves, or if Dunga feels as though he still has a long-term future with Brazil.

The player himself clearly feels there is plenty left in the tank having signed a new two-year contract with Barcelona recently, per the Press Association (via the Guardian), and some astute performances in Chile may see him reintegrated beyond the Copa.