By Nick Said
HOUSTON, June 28 (Reuters) - Coach Carlo Ancelotti is hopeful he will have Neymar available for more minutes in Monday's World Cup round of 32 fixture against Japan in Houston, and believes his Brazil side are ready for anything in what will be a tough knockout fixture.
Neymar has been working his way back to fitness from a calf injury and managed a little over 15 minutes in the 3-0 victory over Scotland last time out.
"In the last week his progress has been significant," Ancelotti told
reporters on Sunday. "Unfortunately he could not play longer than 15 minutes before, but he is now doing well enough to play more."
Japan beat Brazil 3-2 in a friendly clash in Tokyo in October, and Ancelotti said that game has given him excellent insight into what to expect in Houston, knowing that failure will send his side home early in the tournament.
"It was a good experience to know that Japan are one of the best teams in the world," he said. "We have full respect for them and will prepare for the game like it is a final, because to us it is a final.
"We need a strong mind and strong hearts. We have to be ready for anything that could take place in a knockout match, such as extra-time or penalties.
"The team is ready, motivated and confident. But every match in this competition is very difficult."
The game will kick off at noon Houston time, something Brazil have not experienced yet in the competition. But Ancelotti is unfazed.
"I don't think there will be a lot to change, this is always the time of day that we train. At the end of the day we are going to play a football match.
"We need to remain focussed. We are going to play against a very tough opponent, very well organised, and we need to be clear what we want to do on the pitch.
"The players will sleep very well. Much better than the head coach, I can tell you."
The experienced Italian said as far as he is concerned, there is no clear favourite to win the World Cup.
"It might be that some teams did better than others in the group stage, but I don’t think a clear favourite has come up yet. This should be a very hard-fought and balanced tournament," he said.
(Reporting by Nick SaidEditing by Christian Radnedge)
