Ancelotti hopeful of Raphinha return as Brazil plot Haaland shutdown

Brazil's national team coach, Carlo Ancelotti, expressed optimism regarding Raphinha's availability for the upcoming World Cup last-16 clash against Norway. Raphinha has returned to training after a two-week absence due to a hamstring injury. While not fit to start, Ancelotti stated the forward could be a valuable option off the bench.

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Raphinha is progressing very well. He is still not at 100 per cent, but he is available to be on the bench and to be able to play a few minutes or be useful at certain moments.

However, Brazil faces a significant challenge in replacing midfielder Lucas Paqueta, who also suffered a hamstring strain. Ancelotti acknowledged the difficulty in finding a direct replacement for Paqueta's unique skillset, noting that other midfielders like Danilo, Gabriel, Matheus Cunha, and Ederson have different characteristics. The coach will select a player based on the game plan and the opponent's strengths.

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We don't have a player in the squad with Lucas Paqueta's quality, so we have to replace him with another player. The characteristics are different.

The team is also intensely focused on neutralizing the threat posed by Norway's star striker, Erling Haaland. Ancelotti emphasized that his defenders are well aware of Haaland's capabilities, having faced him numerous times. Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimaraes echoed these concerns, stressing the importance of denying Haaland service and preventing him from finding space, as he can single-handedly decide a match. Guimaraes also anticipates Norway will utilize set pieces effectively, requiring Brazil to be prepared for aerial threats.

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Everyone knows Haaland. I don't have to explain to my defenders how Haaland plays. They know him better than I do because they have played against him many times.