Ancelotti hopeful of Raphinha return as Brazil plot Haaland shutdown

Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti expressed optimism about Raphinha's potential return from a hamstring injury for Sunday's World Cup last-16 clash against Norway. Raphinha, sidelined for two weeks, is available to play from the bench, though not yet at full match fitness.

"Raphinha is progressing very well," Ancelotti told reporters. "He is still not at 100%, but he is available to be on the bench and to be able to play a few minutes or be useful at certain moments. He recovered very well and very quickly. We are very happy with this because Raphinha is a very, very important player for the team."

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Raphinha is progressing very well. He is still not at 100%, but he is available to be on the bench and to be able to play a few minutes or be useful at certain moments. He recovered very well and very quickly. We are very happy with this because Raphinha is a very, very important player for the team.

However, Brazil faces a midfield challenge with Lucas Paqueta out due to a hamstring strain sustained in their previous match. Ancelotti admitted that replacing Paqueta's unique quality would require a strategic adjustment.

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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. Danilo is different from Gabriel, who is different from Matheus Cunha and Ederson. I will choose the player based on our game plan, obviously taking into account the strength of the opponent, but also what is functional to the idea we want to implement tomorrow.

"We don’t have a player in the squad with Lucas Paqueta’s quality, so we have to replace him with another player," Ancelotti said. "The characteristics are different. Danilo is different from Gabriel, who is different from Matheus Cunha and Ederson. I will choose the player based on our game plan, obviously taking into account the strength of the opponent, but also what is functional to the idea we want to implement tomorrow."

The team's focus also remains on containing Norway's star striker, Erling Haaland. Ancelotti stressed that his defenders are well aware of Haaland's capabilities, having faced him numerous times. Midfielder Bruno Guimaraes added that the key will be to prevent the ball from reaching Haaland, emphasizing the need for constant defensive pressure to deny him space.

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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. We are focused on preparing well for the match, obviously including Haaland’s characteristics, which we must take into account because he is a very, very dangerous forward.

"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," Ancelotti stated. Guimaraes elaborated, "We have to try to prevent the ball from reaching him. We will be attacking, but there always has to be someone glued to him so we don’t give him space, because we know that with just one ball he can decide a match."

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We have to try to prevent the ball from reaching him. We will be attacking, but there always has to be someone glued to him so we don’t give him space, because we know that with just one ball he can decide a match.