Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti played down any urgency to bring star forward Neymar straight back from a calf problem as the squad landed in the United States for the World Cup, saying the key is to manage the player\u2019s return properly rather than rush it.<\/p>\n
Ancelotti previously indicated that Neymar could be ready for Brazil\u2019s opening stretch of group fixtures at the tournament staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico\u2014specifically describing a return for the \u201cfirst or second\u201d match in the group phase.<\/p>\n
That timeline gained context last week when Brazil\u2019s team doctor, Rodrigo Lasmar, confirmed the forward, aged 34, had picked up a calf injury and was expected to miss action for as long as three weeks.<\/p>\n
Brazil will begin their campaign against Morocco on June 13, kicking off what Ancelotti described as a campaign built around hard work and competitiveness rather than fear or pressure from past reputations.<\/p>\n
Speaking after the team touched down in Newark, the Italian said: \u201cHe\u2019s progressing well, he\u2019s doing well, we\u2019re in no rush.\u201d<\/p>\n
Neymar\u2019s spot in Ancelotti\u2019s 26-man squad was notable, particularly because he has not featured for Brazil for nearly three years and has also dealt with injury issues in recent seasons.<\/p>\n
Despite the recent setbacks, Neymar remains Brazil\u2019s leading marksman of all time, having scored 79 goals in 128 appearances for the national team. The tournament in North America will be his fourth World Cup.<\/p>\n
Brazil are heading to the tournament with a different kind of standing than in many previous editions, with expectations shaped as much by recent results as by their historic pedigree.<\/p>\n
The side finished fifth in South American qualifying and, over the past year, have suffered defeats to France, Japan and Bolivia.<\/p>\n
Still, Ancelotti insisted that those results will not define how Brazil perform once the World Cup begins.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to compete with opponents, try to do our best, work hard \u2013 everyone knows what Brazil\u2019s expectations are,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cEveryone knows that there are no favourites, there are some strong teams and I think Brazil can compete with anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Brazil may not have the same aura that surrounded earlier generations, veteran midfielder Casemiro said the pressure at home remains unmistakable, with supporters expecting the team to aim for a sixth world title.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are big expectations, it will be tough, but we are very excited, we want to win,\u201d Casemiro said.<\/p>\n
Brazil are placed in Group C, where they will face Morocco first, before playing Haiti and Scotland afterwards.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti played down any urgency to bring star forward Neymar straight back from a calf problem as the squad landed in the United States for the World Cup, saying the key is to manage the player\u2019s return properly rather than rush it. Ancelotti previously indicated that Neymar could be ready for Brazil\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1407,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"Ancelotti on Neymar World Cup Return: Managed, Not Rushed","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Carlo Ancelotti insists Neymar\u2019s World Cup return from a calf injury will be carefully managed, not rushed, as Brazil begin their ","mma_seo_breadcrumb_text":"","mma_seo_breadcrumb_url":"","mma_seo_breadcrumb_hide_ui":"","mma_seo_breadcrumb_labels":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1408","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n