Brazil depth gives Ancelotti ‘positive doubts’

Brazil's 6-2 friendly win over Panama at the Maracana yesterday gave Carlo Ancelotti plenty to be pleased about, but the master tactician admitted the performance has made his decisions ahead of the World Cup opener even more difficult.

While Vinicius Jr starred with a goal and an assist, Ancelotti focused on the impact of the players who came off the bench, saying their second-half display created new competition for places in the starting lineup.

“The second half of the game has given me more doubts. That's good, having positive doubts,” Ancelotti said after the match.

Brazil took control early when Vinicius scored within two minutes after capitalising on a defensive mistake. Panama briefly equalised through Michael Murillo's deflected free kick, but Vinicius helped restore Selecao’s lead before halftime with a cross that Casemiro headed home.

Ancelotti made sweeping changes at the break, leaving only defender Leo Pereira on the field. The substitutes responded strongly as Rayan, Lucas Paqueta, Igor Thiago and Danilo all got on the scoresheet, turning a competitive contest into a comfortable victory.

“It was an important performance for the team; the players who came on showed quality and that they can compete,” Ancelotti said, suggesting several players improved their chances of starting against Morocco in Brazil's World Cup opener.

Despite the six goals, the coach identified areas that still need improvement. Ancelotti said Brazil's high pressing game, which the team attempted to implement in the first half, did not work as effectively as planned.

“High pressing is something we wanted to implement in the first half,” he said. “The truth is, when pressing isn't working, you need to recover the ball more quickly.”

He also acknowledged that Brazil lacked compactness at times and stressed the importance of improving defensive organisation. According to the Italian coach, a lower defensive block can sometimes help the team become more effective on the counterattack.

Ancelotti also confirmed that his lineup for the World Cup remains undecided, noting that key players were unavailable. Neymar is recovering from a calf injury, while Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães and Gabriel Martinelli were absent following the Champions League final. “I don't have the team 100% finalised. There are still players missing.”

With less than two weeks until Brazil face Morocco, Ancelotti said the coming days will be important for evaluating fitness levels and finalizing his plans. “The doubt is choosing the best lineup for the first game. What is certain is that we have a very strong team.”