Carlo Ancelotti conceded Brazil’s 6-2 hammering of Panama gave him more questions than answers just 10 days from the start of the World Cup.
Ancelotti and his players fly to the United States today to continue their preparations after a victory at the Maracana that saw Ancelotti make 10 changes at half-time as he attempts to find a formula that he hopes will succeed when the global showpiece gets underway.
The win over Panama, who will face England in Group L, saw Vinicius Jr, Casemiro, Rayan, Lucas Paqueta, Igor Thiago and Danilo all get on the scoresheet but Ancelotti was not satisfied.
He told Lance: “It crosses my mind to change the team, the strategy. The second half gave me more doubts. But for me, it’s good to have positive doubts. [The team] is 100% not defined, obviously not.”
Brazil were without several players from Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal due to the Champions League final.
Ancelotti added: “We didn’t have Marquinhos, Gabriel or Gabriel Martinelli but I still think I have a good squad. The game showed us we have players with better physical conditions than others. In the end, let’s make the right decision. The question is to try to choose the best line-up for the first game. The certainty is that we have a very strong team.”
Ancelotti happy with Brazil squad depth
Although the starting XI was arguably closer to the team Ancelotti will field against Morocco on June 13, he was particularly pleased with the efforts of those that came on at the break.
“The players in the first half are stronger, they press a lot,” he said. “A high press is an aspect we wanted to do in the first half. When the pressure doesn’t come out, it’s very important to come back quickly, but I think the team wasn’t very compact. It’s a theme we have to improve, because defensive solidity is very important, and the low block allows us to play more in counterattacks.
“The performance in the second half was important for the team, for the players who entered, they showed quality. They could compete like everyone else on the list. We have to take into account the rival, who slowed down, lost intensity. The first half was different, but with things we have to improve.”
Brazil have another friendly before the action gets underway for real, against Egypt on Saturday.
Vinicius hails Brazil ‘idol’ Neymar
Neymar will again be sidelined with a calf problem although Ancelotti has dismissed the idea of replacing the Santos forward in the squad.
And Vinicius Jr revealed the country’s all-time record goalscorer was making a positive impression on the other players.
The Real Madrid star told SporTV: “Ney is our idol. Everyone is very happy to be able to play with him. It’s a very young generation, which had Neymar as the greatest idol. Being able to share everyday life with Ney is always good. He fought a lot to be able to play with us again. He returned to play in Brazil, along with our people, to be able to be closer to all of them.”
