Paquetá out of Norway clash as Endrick backs Ancelotti

Paquetá out of Norway clash

Lucas Paquetá is done. The midfielder picked up an injury in the 2–1 win over Japan and will miss Sunday's Round of 16 match against Norway (1). That is a serious blow, Paquetá has been a central piece of your midfield all tournament.

Who steps in? The debate is on

The question now: who replaces him? Globo's commentators threw out names, Endrick, Danilo Santos, even Neymar shifting deeper. Ana Thaís Matos, Eric Faria, Maestro Júnior, Denílson, Caio Ribeiro, Roger Flores, Ricardinho, and Everaldo Marques all weighed in with different solutions (1). No obvious answer yet.

Endrick: 'I'm at peace'

Endrick is not sweating the situation. Asked about his substitute role under Carlo Ancelotti, the striker kept it simple. "He won't do what's best for me, he'll do what's best for the team," Endrick said. "He's not afraid of making the hard decisions" (2). He added: "Whatever Carlo does, things just work out" (2).

Raphinha still training alone

Raphinha remains in individual rehabilitation work ahead of Sunday (5). No word yet on whether he will be ready for Norway. After losing Paquetá, your squad can ill afford another creative option missing.

Neymar's girlfriend on the Japan benching

Neymar did not play a single minute against Japan, and it hit hard at home. Bruna Biancardi, his girlfriend, spoke about the stress of the situation. "Stresset er ikke bra for meg," she told Norwegian media, the stress is not good for her (4). Ancelotti left him on the bench for the full 90. That is a decision that follows you.

Title chances drop to 5.9%

The model does not back you. Brazil's World Cup winning probability has dropped to 5.9% after France's dominant showing, according to Opta (3). France now sit at 24%, Spain at 14%. The numbers are cold. Your team is still standing, but the margin is thin.

Prediction: Brazil 2–1 Norway

One pundit sees a narrow win. The prediction for Sunday is Brazil 2–1 Norway, with Ancelotti tipped as the difference maker (6). A repeat of the Japan scoreline. Fans will take it.

Fan reactions

The mood among Brazil fans online is a strange mix of pride and anxiety. An Opta stat noting that Cubarsí and Yamal are the first teenage duo in a World Cup knockout match since Pelé and Altafini in 1958 brought a wave of nostalgia, and unease about a new generation writing its own history while Brazil fights to stay relevant. Read the thread