Stopping Haaland no mystery for Brazil, says Ancelotti

Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti expressed confidence in his defenders' ability to contain Norway's prolific striker Erling Haaland ahead of their World Cup last-16 clash. Ancelotti stated that his players, many of whom regularly face Haaland in the Premier League, possess sufficient knowledge of his game and do not need additional tactical guidance.

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Everyone knows how he works. I have nothing to explain to my defenders how to play against him. They’ve obviously played against him several times.

"Everyone knows how he works. I have nothing to explain to my defenders how to play against him. They’ve obviously played against him several times," Ancelotti told reporters. He dismissed the idea of a specific "anti-Haaland plan," emphasizing that his defenders are already well-acquainted with the Manchester City striker's threat.

Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimaraes echoed Ancelotti's sentiment regarding Haaland's prowess, noting the striker's ability to decide a match with a single opportunity. Guimaraes stressed the critical need for Brazil to disrupt the supply lines feeding Haaland, a task that may become even more crucial with Lucas Paqueta ruled out due to injury. "We have to avoid the ball getting to his feet... we’ve got to make sure that somebody stays on him, because with one ball, he can decide the match," Guimaraes explained.

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I don’t think that there’s such a thing as an anti-Haaland plan. I don’t need to tell my players how to defend.

The match is also expected to be affected by extreme heat conditions in the region. While temperatures were forecast to ease slightly by Sunday, the heat index remained high, posing a significant challenge for player endurance. "I don’t think anybody is used to that temperature," Guimaraes commented. "This is going to be a very physical match. It’s really important for you to have your squad on point, even the guys that come from the bench to be fresh."

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We have to avoid the ball getting to his feet... we’ve got to make sure that somebody stays on him, because with one ball, he can decide the match.

Ancelotti also believes Brazil's hard-fought comeback victory in the previous round has boosted his squad's confidence. "We have to play at our best level, but I think we are at a time when we can play at our best level because we’re confident," he said. The coach indicated that the team is prepared for any eventuality, drawing lessons from their challenging match against Japan.

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I don’t think anybody is used to that temperature. This is going to be a very physical match.