Sau Paulo: Inter Milan defender Lucio has pulled out of Brazil's final World Cup qualifiers over the next 10 days with a muscle strain, the Brazilian Football Confederation said.
Brazil, who have qualified for the 2010 finals in South Africa, face eliminated Bolivia in La Paz on Sunday before hosting Venezuela at Campo Grande three days later.
Venezuela, at home to qualified Paraguay on Saturday, still have a slim chance of going through.
They are seventh in the South American group from which the top four qualify and the fifth-placed team goes into a playoff against a CONCACAF side.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, October 05, 2009, 11:00