Ancelotti’s Brazil Prepares for Norway Showdown Without ‘Anti-Haaland’ Plan
Carlo Ancelotti has stared down enough superstars in his time to know a trap when he sees one. On Sunday at MetLife Stadium, the narrative screams one thing: stop Erling Haaland, stop Norway.
He is having none of it.
Fresh from topping Group C and surviving a late scare against Japan in the last 32, Brazil arrive in East Rutherford with momentum, scars and a very clear message from their coach: this is not an “anti-Haaland” mission. It is a World Cup knockout tie, and Norway are more than just the Manchester City striker.
“I don’t think that there is such a thing as an ‘anti-Haaland’ plan,” Ancelotti said, cool and clipped at his press conference. “I don’t need to tell my players how to defend, they have faced each other a few times.”
That line says plenty. Gabriel Magalhaes and Marquinhos have seen Haaland at his most brutal in the Champions League and in the Premier League. They know the runs, the angles, the sheer physical shock of him. Brazil will not reinvent themselves for one man.
“Our team is in an optimal condition. However, we need to continue improving,” Ancelotti continued, steering the conversation back to the collective. He talked about preparation, about understanding “the basic characteristics” of a Norway side he clearly respects.
Everyone knows what Haaland brings. The Italian did not bother dressing it up.
“Everyone knows how he works. I have nothing to explain to my defenders how to play against him,” he said. “They have obviously played against him several times, so we are only focused on being well prepared for the match… we know that they are very dangerous offensively.
“Norway is a challenging team, a team that has structure, has very good organisation, so we have to play at our best level.”
Brazil bruised but brimming with belief
The late win over Japan – sealed by Gabriel Martinelli in stoppage time – felt like one of those World Cup jolts that can either derail a campaign or harden it. Ancelotti is convinced it has done the latter.
“We are confident and have come out of a challenging last match against Japan,” he said, framing the struggle as proof of character rather than cause for concern.
Brazil do not emerge unscathed, though. Lucas Paqueta, influential between the lines, misses out after a hamstring problem against Japan. His absence strips some craft and control from midfield at precisely the stage of the tournament where rhythm and familiarity matter most.
There is better news in attack. Barcelona winger Raphinha could return after a thigh injury, adding width and direct running to a forward line that still feels like it has another gear to find. With the bracket now open – the winners here face either England or co-hosts Mexico – this is the moment for Brazil’s attacking talent to step out from under the weight of that “sixth World Cup” expectation.
Haaland vs Brazil’s wall – but Solbakken widens the lens
On the other side, Stale Solbakken knows the build-up will zoom in on one duel: Haaland against Gabriel and Marquinhos. He also knows his team cannot afford to think that way.
“Brazil has one of the best pairs of defenders in this tournament, two players who are at a top-notch international level,” the Norway coach said. “There will be some tough duels between them and Erling, but it is more Brazil versus Norway for me.”
That last line matters. Solbakken has built a side with structure and discipline, a team that leans on organisation rather than chaos. He is under no illusions about the scale of the task.
“Brazil are favourites, of course they are,” he admitted. “But we are hopeful that we will give them a match – and we must be at our very, very best, otherwise we don’t have a chance.”
Hope, for Norway, is tied to more than just their No 9. Dortmund full-back Julian Ryerson is expected to be available after a thigh issue forced him off in the group game against Senegal, a significant boost on the flank in both directions. Defender Holmgren Pedersen is being monitored after some “coughing and rasping”, a reminder that at this stage of a World Cup, it is not only tactical tweaks that shape a lineup.
A heavyweight clash with a sharp edge
Strip away the noise and Sunday offers a compelling contrast. On one side, Brazil, still chasing that sixth star, led by a coach who has seen almost everything the game can throw at him and refuses to be dragged into a one-man obsession. On the other, a Norway team stepping into the knockout spotlight, built carefully, drilled relentlessly, carrying one of the most feared forwards on the planet.
The individual battle between Haaland and Brazil’s central defensive pairing will draw the cameras. The tie itself will be decided by what happens around them – in the spaces where Norway’s structure meets Brazil’s improvisation, where belief collides with pedigree.
MetLife Stadium has staged plenty of big events. This one will say a lot about whether Brazil are truly ready to play at the “best level” Ancelotti keeps talking about – and whether Norway are ready to turn a golden striker into a golden generation.
