By Marcelo Teixeira
MORRISTOWN, New Jersey, June 10 (Reuters) - Forward Neymar was again absent from Brazil's training ground at Morristown in New Jersey on Wednesday as the team prepare for their World Cup curtain-raiser against Morocco on Saturday while also celebrating coach Carlo Ancelotti's 67th birthday.
Ancelotti's players honoured the Italian, who is tasked with ending Brazil's 24-year wait for a sixth World Cup title, with a traditional guard of honour. However, Barcelona forward Raphinha
joked that the players opted for gentler treatment than is customary.
"He passed through it, but nobody touched him," Raphinha remarked.
Talisman Neymar continues his intensive rehabilitation for a grade-two calf injury suffered while playing for Santos in Brazil in mid-May.
The 34-year-old is certain to miss the first game, and there is no indication yet whether he will feature in subsequent group matches against Haiti and Scotland.
Despite Neymar's absence, Brazilian pundits present at the training ground remained optimistic.
“Brazil is not the great favourite, but it has good players that can come together to form a good team. I think it has its chances," said Zinho, a key midfielder in the Brazil side that won the World Cup in the United States in 1994.
Zinho, who is currently a pundit for ESPN, believes Ancelotti's side will be cautious against a Morocco team that reached the semi-finals at the last World Cup.
Benjamin Back, a popular Brazilian radio commentator, said Ancelotti would not alter the team's style.
"He will have a team that defends and waits for the opponents’ actions, before trying to be quick in the transition to attack once it has the ball," he said.
"It is a young group, with good physical condition, and a great coach. I would put Brazil among the favourites," he added.
Brazil's first game will take place at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
(Reporting by Marcelo TeixeiraEditing by Toby Davis)
