Ancelotti will opt for experience in his World Cup debut, says Michel Bastos
The Brazilian team makes its debut in the World Cup this Saturday (13) against Morocco, and commentator Michel Bastos evaluated the main aspects of the match. For him, Carlo Ancelotti should prioritize experience in the lineup, facing an opponent he considers the most difficult in the group stage for Brazil.
Michel Bastos, who played in the 2010 World Cup for the Brazilian team, highlighted that anxiety is part of the process, but that experienced players know how to deal with this moment.
"The anxiety exists, there's no doubt about that, but there are many experienced players there who have already lived, played in a World Cup, so they know, they know this process," he said. According to him, after the opening whistle, adrenaline takes over and the athletes are able to perform their work normally.
Morocco is the group's toughest opponent
In Michel Bastos' assessment, Morocco represents Brazil's biggest challenge in the group stage. "Between Haiti and Scotland, it is the strongest team that Brazil will face," he said. He highlighted that, despite the difficulties, facing a strong team in the debut can be positive for the Brazilian team. The commentator also highlighted that Morocco lost an important reference with a recent cut - a player who plays on the sides of the field with an acute style - but that the African team still has a lot of technical quality and enjoys possession of the ball.
"Rafinha himself said, they are considered Brazilians in Africa", he commented.
Concern on the side and confidence in Danilo
The full-back position was highlighted by Michel Bastos as an area of attention for the Brazilian team. With the cut of Wesley, who would be the starter on the right flank, Ancelotti opted to call up a midfielder and test Danilo in the position. "Danilo is not unanimous, especially because he wasn't playing at his club, but he is a player that Ancelotti has a lot of confidence in", he assessed. Michel Bastos also recalled that Brazil has historically been very well served in this position, with names like Roberto Carlos, Cafu, Dani Alves and Marcelo, which raises the level of demand from the fans. Despite the reservations, the commentator argued that it is necessary to give confidence to those who are available.
Coach changes harmed preparation
Michel Bastos also commented on the impact of the four coach changes since 2022 on the construction of the team. For him, instability hindered the formation of a solid base. "Years ago we always had a Brazilian team base, and in recent years that hasn't been happening," he said.
He highlighted that Ancelotti arrived at a time close to the World Cup, with little time to assemble the squad and define his game model. As a positive example of continuity, he cited the French and Argentine teams, which maintained a large part of the champion squad throughout the cycles. In his opinion, this is precisely why, at this moment, Ancelotti should opt for the most experienced players in the starting lineup.
For the game against Morocco, Michel Bastos predicted that Ancelotti will assemble a team with a more advanced line, putting pressure on the opponents' ball. "Brazil will put together this team to have this higher line, put pressure on the Moroccan team, not let them play, because they have a lot of technical quality", he analyzed. The commentator bet on a 2-1 Brazilian victory, recognizing that opening games in World Cups tend to be disputed and tight.
See the ranking of the most "worn out" teams for the World Cup
The texts generated by artificial intelligence on CNN Brasil are made based on video cuts from the newspapers in its programming. All information is investigated and checked by journalists. The final text is also reviewed by the CNN journalism team. Click here to find out more.
Source: CNN