Man Utd star Casemiro annoyed by 'disrespectful' manager questions

Stuart Telford

• 8 Sept 2023 20:17 BST
• 3 min read

Casemiro shot down questions about being reunited with former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti with Brazil in 2024 whilst on international duty with his country.

Casemiro has been called up for Brazil's upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Bolivia and Peru, unlike his former Manchester United teammates Fred and Alex Telles, who joined Fenerbahce and Al-Nassr this summer.

Fernando Diniz picked the current squad having replaced Tite on a caretaker basis in July, but he is expected to be replaced by Ancelotti at the end of the European season.

READ: How Brazil will line up under Carlo Ancelotti

Casemiro and Ancelotti won two Champions Leagues together across the Italian coach's two spells at the Santiago Bernabeu, but the midfielder refused to be drawn on the possibility of working with him again in the future.

'Disrespectful to talk about Ancelotti'

"Ancelotti's a great coach, but he has a contract with Real Madrid, and it's disrespectful to talk about Ancelotti within the national team," he said. "Diniz has a way of playing, but the base and concept of football is joy on the pitch…

"After so long, coming back here is really great," he then reflected on his return to Brazil. "The people running behind the bus when we came to train, the people in front of the hotel. It's people like these who inspire us to be in the national team..

READ: 'Rice and Caicedo better transfers than panic buy Casemiro'

Casemiro hit the ground running at United after joining in an £80m transfer from Real last summer, with seven goals and as many assists in his maiden campaign - significant numbers for a defensive midfielder.

He has come in for more criticism at the start of the current campaign, though, with Erik ten Hag's side floundering in 11th heading into the first international break of the season.

The hope is that Sofyan Amrabat's deadline day loan signing from Fiorentina will give Casemiro greater license to break forward without so many defensive holes left behind him.