
At a press conference, the Italian strategist was optimistic with the return of the Barcelona player after fulfilling the sanction and highlighted the good moment of Paraguay in the last qualifying matches.
Photo: EFE – Isaac Fontana
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The Brazilian coach, Carlo Ancelotti, said Monday that Raphinha's return, after meeting a sanction match, is a “good news” for the team, because at this time “he is one of the best players” in the world.
“The presence of Raphinha is going to be very important (…) will help us a lot,” said the Italian coach at the press conference prior to the South American qualifiers match against Paraguay, at the Neo Chemistry Arena Stadium in São Paulo.
The end of FC Barcelona was lost by sanction the previous day, in which the Canarinha tied without goals in Ecuador, and will predictably begin on Tuesday against the Albirroja.
“Raphinha returns and it is good news for us because he has shown in the last season to be one of the best players at this time in football,” said Real Madrid.
Highlighting the offensive mobility of the former Leeds United player, 'Carletto' said that Porto Alegre attacker “can be a very important key to unlock the game” on Tuesday against Paraguay.
Raphinha, newly appointed best player in the League of Spain in the 2024/25 season, has signed an outstanding season with Barça.
The striker scored 34 goals and distributed 25 assists among all competitions, in addition to conquering the League, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup. Some specialized media place him as a candidate to win this year's Golden Ball.
Brazil and Paraguay face Tuesday at the sixteenth day of the South American Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
Both selections could guarantee their ticket for the World Cup in advance, if they win in the Paulista capital and Venezuela falls defeated in Uruguay.
The match will also assume the premiere of Ancelotti in Brazil as a technician at Canarinha.
Paraguay's good moment
Ancelotti warned that it will not be easy to beat Paraguay, a “very solid and organized” team that “is playing very well”, in addition to having “important individualities” on its squad.
The Italian coach stressed that the Albirroja has played some “very good” games lately, such as the victory he achieved, 2-0, over Uruguay last Thursday.
However, 'Carletto' considers that they have had enough time to prepare the duel with the Paraguayans and see the “fresh” team, so they have “all the tools to do it absolutely well tomorrow,” he said.
“Paraguay is playing very well, it is a very solid team and it will not be so simple, but the idea is to play so that people are happy and want to help the team play well,” he said.
Without giving clues about the starting eleven, the former Real Madrid resort revealed that he will raise an “intense game, with attack football” to try to achieve three points that have escaped Brazil in the last two days.
“Hopefully we can see the improvement in tomorrow's game, which I repeat is a very very important game,” he emphasized.
The match against Paraguay will involve the premiere of Ancelotti on Brazilian soil as Canarinha coach and will also coincide with its 66th birthday.
“There is no better gift than winning tomorrow's game,” he confessed.
In this context, he said he has “a lot of confidence” that his work at the head of the world's pentacampeone will bear fruit with the necessary time, because he has everything he needs for it.
He then highlighted the “family”, “clean” and “efficient” atmosphere in the costumes, which he sees “very motivated”, and in the Brazilian soccer confederation (CBF) as an entity.
“The players are fine. There is a very good connection with the coaching staff and with everyone who works here. So, I do not say that I stay calm, but I stay quite calm,” he said with a laugh.
At another time of the press conference, Ancelotti apologized for not yet to perfectly understand the Portuguese and need translation in some questions, although he promised that “the language will quickly learn”.
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