Coach Carlo Ancelotti signaled a single change to Brazil’s starting lineup for Wednesday’s clash against Scotland in Miami. The main novelty is the inclusion of young Rayan, 19 years old, on the right wing, replacing Raphinha, who is sidelined due to injury.
In the last training session before the decisive match, Rayan was the athlete chosen to occupy the position in the Brazilian offensive sector. Although the official confirmation of the lineup only takes place during the press conference, approximately three hours before the game, the activities on the field revealed Ancelotti’s preferences.
Thus, the likely starting lineup of the Brazilian team features Alisson in goal; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães and Douglas Santos on the defensive line; Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães and Lucas Paquetá in midfield; and Rayan, Matheus Cunha and Vini Jr. composing the attack.
Even with Douglas Santos and Casemiro in a suspended situation, both with two yellow cards, Ancelotti decided not to spare the players for this round. The clash against Scotland is essential for Brazil to secure the leadership of group C, where they currently surpass Morocco on the goal difference criterion, a crucial factor for classification and positioning in the group. The decision to keep the starting athletes reflects the importance of each point and goal, which can define the advantage in the tiebreaker.
Ancelotti reinforced in a press conference that the team is focused exclusively on presenting a good performance with the best formation possible. “We don’t think about anything other than playing a good game with the best possible lineup, the same goes for the players up front. We have a clear idea of who will replace Raphinha, there’s no way to think about cards”, said the coach.
During the same interview, asked about the need to “widen the field” with Raphinha’s replacement, the coach mentioned Rayan. “It’s one of those details, obviously yes. Rayan, when he replaced Raphinha, played a good game, Rayan has a lot of potential in that aspect. I have other players who can adapt to this system, but if we need width on the field, Rayan can play that role”, he explained.
Over the last few days of preparation, other tests were carried out by Ancelotti. Luiz Henrique was also evaluated on the right wing. In defense, Léo Pereira trained in place of Gabriel Magalhães, who was physically worn out. The coach also experimented with an attacking formation with Endrick and Matheus Cunha, as an alternative for the course of the matches.
Neymar is among those listed for the game, but he still does not have the physical conditions to play during the 90 minutes. The number 10 must start the match on the bench, with the possibility of entering the field in the final minutes of the second half.
The duel between Brazil and Scotland will start at 7pm (Brasília time) and will be broadcast live by Globo, sportv and getv.