"No Anti-Haaland Plan": Carlo Ancelotti Backs Brazil's Collective Approach Against Norway

Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti has dismissed suggestions that his side will devise a specific strategy to neutralise Erling Haaland ahead of Sunday's FIFA World Cup Round of 16 meeting with Norway, insisting there is "no anti-Haaland plan" as the five-time world champions prepare for one of their toughest tests of the tournament.

The Selecao arrive in New Jersey after a dramatic comeback victory over Japan, while Norway have impressed throughout the competition, thanks to Haaland's goals and Martin Ødegaard's creativity.

Speaking during his pre-match press conference, Ancelotti acknowledged Haaland's status as one of world football's most dangerous forwards but made it clear that Brazil's preparations extend beyond trying to stop one player.

"Haaland, everybody knows Haaland. I don't even need to explain much about him," Ancelotti said.

"Defenders like Gabriel play better than me because they've played against him many times. So we're focused on preparing well for the game, including Haaland's style. Obviously, we have to keep in mind that he is a very, very dangerous forward."

The Italian later reinforced that message, insisting Brazil would rely on the experience of their defenders rather than introducing a man-marking system specifically designed for the Manchester City striker.

"There is no anti-Haaland plan," Ancelotti said, placing his confidence in Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhães, both of whom have faced the Norwegian striker regularly at club level.

Brazil will be without Lucas Paquetá after the midfielder suffered a hamstring injury against Japan, forcing Ancelotti to reshape his midfield for the knockout encounter.

Rather than searching for a like-for-like replacement, the Brazil boss explained that his decision would depend on maintaining the team's balance.

"We don't have a player like Lucas Paquetá in the squad, so we have to replace him with someone else. Each player has different qualities," he said.

"We'll pick the player based on how our team plays, obviously keeping in mind how strong the opponent is. But the main idea we want to put into tomorrow's game stays the same."

Ancelotti added that replacing Paquetá is as much about defensive structure as attacking quality.

"Defensively, you need a player who can cover the left side like Paquetá did. Martinelli can do that, and so can Danilo. Offensively, it doesn't change. What changes is how the player interprets the role depending on his characteristics."

Brazil have also received encouraging news regarding Raphinha, who has returned to training after injury.

While the Barcelona winger is not yet ready to start, Ancelotti confirmed he could feature from the bench if required.

"He's not 100%, but he's available to be on the bench and might get a few minutes or be useful at certain moments," he revealed.

"He's recovered really well and really quickly. We're really happy because Raphinha is a very, very important player for the team."

Despite Brazil entering the match as favourites, Ancelotti repeatedly warned against underestimating Ståle Solbakken's side.

The Italian praised Norway's organisation, attacking balance and ability to transition quickly, while also pointing to the unpredictability that has defined this World Cup.

"Norway is a tough team because they have structure and good organisation. We have to play our game, and I think we're ready to do that."

"We're confident because we got through a tough knockout against Japan, because we want to improve, because we're ready for whatever comes our way."

Referencing several surprise results already seen during the tournament, Ancelotti added:

"Who would have thought Argentina would struggle against Cape Verde? No one. Modern football is like that. You have to play against rivals who are really, really well prepared."

He also highlighted Norway's attacking strength beyond Haaland.

"They're a team that's difficult to catch on a fast transition because they have good balance in midfield."

Asked how far his side has progressed since the opening match of the tournament, Ancelotti said Brazil continue to improve with every game.

"I think the quality with the ball has improved. The team makes fewer mistakes compared to the first game. Now we're more accurate with the ball, make fewer passing mistakes, and are a bit sharper up front."

The veteran coach even offered his own assessment of Brazil's development during the tournament, explaining that he had internally rated each performance.

"We thought about it after every match: a five against Morocco, about a six-and-a-half against Haiti, a seven versus Scotland, and we were happy with a 7.5 after Japan."

Brazil will now hope that continued improvement is enough to overcome a Norway side spearheaded by Haaland and Ødegaard, with a place in the World Cup quarter-finals awaiting the winner.