The Liverpool midfielder and Shakhtar Donetsk attacker are in but Thiago Silva and Julio Cesar are absent as is Kaka for the friendlies against South Korea and Zambia

Lucas Leiva and Bernard will be in the 22-man Brazil squad for the upcoming friendlies against South Korea and Zambia in October.

Lucas’ return to fitness and form for Liverpool this season has been rewarded and he will take the place of Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fernando.

Captain Thiago Silva, goalkeeper Julio Cesar and striker Fred all miss out through injury, as Cruzeiro’s Dede, Atletico Miniero’s Victor and Shakhtar’s summer signing Bernard step in as replacements.

Yet again, there is no place in the squad for Kaka and Ronaldinho, with the pair also missing the Selecao’s games against Australia and Portugal in August.

However, Scolari still has significant firepower at his disposal, with Neymar, Hulk, Lucas Moura and Oscar all set to travel to the Far East next month.

Brazil will visit South Korea on October 12, before making the trip to Beijing to face Zambia three days later.

Full Squad

Goalkeepers: Jefferson (Botafogo), Victor (Atletico Mineiro), Diego Cavalieri (Fluminense)

Defenders: Dani Alves (Barcelona), Maicon (Roma), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Maxwell (Paris Saint-Germain), David Luiz (Chelsea), Dante (Bayern Munich) Henrique (Palmeiras), Dede (Cruzeiro).

Midfielders: Lucas Leiva (Liverpool), Hernanes (Lazio), Luiz Gustavo (Wolfsburg), Paulinho (Tottenham), Ramires (Chelsea), Oscar (Chelsea).

Attackers: Bernard (Shakhtar Donetsk), Jo (Atletico Mineiro), Lucas (Paris Saint-Germain) Hulk (Zenit St Petersburg), Alexandre Pato (Corinthians), Neymar (Barcelona).