Carlo Ancelotti, the manager of Brazil, has stated that he will not engage in “mind games” as his team prepares to face Japan in the round-of-32 World Cup match on Monday.
The match between the Seleção and Japan appears to be one of the more closely contested matchups in the knockout stage.
Both teams finished their group stages unbeaten.
Brazil’s journey included a 1-1 draw against Morocco, followed by victories over Haiti and Scotland, both ending in 3-0, allowing them to top Group C.
Japan, on the other hand, had a group stage that included a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands, a commanding 4-0 victory over Tunisia, and a 1-1 tie with Sweden, landing them second in Group F.
Despite Brazil being the favorites for the upcoming match, Japan has displayed resilience, remaining unbeaten since their 2-0 loss to the United States in September.
Since then, Japan has achieved a remarkable 10-game unbeaten streak, which includes notable victories against England at Wembley and Brazil in Tokyo.
Amidst this backdrop, Kento Shiogai, a 21-year-old striker from Wolfsburg, who has seen only six minutes of action in the tournament, referenced Brazil as “fallen giants.”
Ancelotti responded, “I won’t repeat what others say. Our focus is squarely on the match, the opponent’s strengths, and thorough preparation to avoid any issues.” He added, “That’s what match preparation entails. We’re not engaging in what they term ‘mind games’ in England. How do you say it in Portuguese? Mind games. We’re steering clear of that.”
A significant highlight from Brazil’s victory against Scotland was the return of Neymar, who played for Brazil for the first time in over three years.
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Neymar was included in the World Cup squad after recovering from a calf injury that had kept him out of friendly matches against Panama and Egypt. He also missed Brazil’s first two matches of the World Cup.
Upon returning against Scotland, Neymar showed impressive form, pleasing Ancelotti, who stated that Neymar is fit to play more than the 15 minutes he managed in that match.
“Neymar has made significant progress. I believe he’s improved a lot over the past week,” Ancelotti noted. “It’s unfortunate he wasn’t able to train consistently with us. He can go beyond just 15 minutes; his fitness is good. However, much will depend on the game’s context and how it unfolds tomorrow.”