Ancelotti teases Neymar appearance against Scotland in crucial clash

[p]The 34-year-old [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/neymar/jNOPwl3h/"]Neymar[/a] has been recovering from a calf strain. He ‌last played for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/santos/n3QdnjFB/"]Santos[/a] in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brazil/I9l9aqLq/"]Brazil[/a]'s top flight on May ‌17.[/p][p]“Neymar will be training tomorrow individually and on Monday he’s going ‌to be training with the rest of the team,” [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ancelotti-carlo/nZQG5IgJ/"]Ancelotti[/a] ‌said in the post-match press conference. “He will be available for the match against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/scotland/fZRU25WH/"]Scotland[/a].”[/p][p]Injuries limited Neymar during Brazil’s 2026 qualifying campaign. But he was ‌influential when he played, scoring twice and ⁠contributing three assists in four ‌appearances.[/p][p]Meanwhile, Ancelotti did not commit to continuing with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/matheus-cunha/bq5QzRdb/"]Matheus Cunha[/a] at centre-forward ​despite his first-half double.[/p][p]Cunha started in place of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rodriguez-thiago/MmJb4MzQ/"]Igor Thiago[/a] after coming on in the 61st minute of ​Brazil’s 1-1 draw with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/morocco/IDKYO3R8/"]Morocco[/a] in their tournament opener.[/p][p][b]“He may,” the Italian coach said when asked if Cunha would remain in ⁠the centre-forward role.[/b][/p][p][b]“I think ​that Matheus’ position was a good position for creating problems for the defence,” Ancelotti said. “And he filtered his passes very well, and his position was a good position to be effective at ‌the front.[/b][/p][p][b]“It can be an option. We discussed this yesterday. I don’t want a clear identity. Maybe we will change this on the next match.”[/b][/p][embed guid="30c941bc-aec9-4a10-b1f7-7c0570be3e57" url="https://x.com/CBF_Futebol/status/2068159645089214563" social-type="twitter" /][p]Brazil, on four points, lead Morocco on goal difference after the Atlas Lions defeated Scotland, who have three points, 1-0 earlier on Friday.[/p][p]The Scots could be playing for their tournament lives on Wednesday in Miami, but Ancelotti insisted he was focusing on the bigger picture.[/p][p][b]“We don’t think about knocking out (Scotland). ‌We think about playing well and improving, and we analyse the ​match," Ancelotti said.[/b][/p][p][b]“If we can reach the first position ‌of the group, that would be important for the future. So we want to prepare well for that match.[/b][/p][p][b]“Scotland has its features. It can create a problem. It created problems to Morocco today. And so we have to focus ⁠on the match and be ⁠calm and be tranquil ‌and keep on working to improve.”[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/brazil-I9l9aqLq/scotland-fZRU25WH/?mid=EgVZxtj1"]Follow the game with Flashscore.[/a][/p][infobox id="4ccc1b10-d68f-4c97-bcf4-5e613c17c2e3" /]