The Carlo Ancelotti era begins for Brazil on Thursday as the Italian oversees his first match in charge of the five-time World Cup winners at Ecuador.
Ancelotti has teamed up with the Seleção after leaving Real Madrid at the end of last season, marking his first venture into international management. He arrives at an underwhelming period in Brazil’s history but will be aiming to significantly improve upon the disappointing performances produced under the watch of his predecessor Dorival Júnior.
Despite a bruising 4–1 defeat to Argentina last time out, Brazil are in no serious danger of failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They are currently fourth in CONMEBOL’s qualifying table and are six points ahead of seventh-placed Venezuela. With the top six teams automatically reaching the tournament, victory over Ecuador will take them even closer to booking their ticket.
Their upcoming opponents have been in exceptional form, however, and will be confident of ruining Ancelotti’s debut. Ecuador are second in the standing and two points ahead of Brazil despite a three-point deduction, with their home form particularly impressive. They will have no fears on Thursday having won five and drawn two of their matches on their own turf during qualifying.
Here is Sports Illustrated’s guide to the game.
What Time Does Ecuador vs. Brazil Kick-Off?
- Location: Guayaquil, Ecuador
- Stadium: Estadio Monumental Banco Pichincha
- Date: Thursday, June 5 / Friday, June 6
- Kick-off Time: 19:00 ET (June 5) / 16:00 PT (June 5) / 00:00 BST (June 6)
Ecuador vs. Brazil Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
- Ecuador: 0 wins
- Brazil: 3 wins
- Draws: 2
- Last meeting: Brazil 1–0 Ecuador (September 7, 2024) - World Cup qualifying
Current Form (All Competitions)
How to Watch Ecuador vs. Brazil on TV
Ecuador Team News
Ecuador’s ascent under Sebastián Beccacece has been made possible due to impressive performances from a group of core stars, including Chelsea’s Moisés Caicedo and Paris Saint-Germain’s Willian Pacho. Both feature in June’s squad having recently picked up major European trophies.
Skipper Enner Valencia and fellow forward Gonzalo Plata have both been included despite injury concerns. The duo have been sidelined since early May but Beccacece has confirmed they are “recovering” ahead of clashes with Brazil and Peru.
Ángelo Preciado and Leonardo Campana have been recalled after missing the March international break through injury.
Ecuador Predicted Lineup vs. Brazil
Ecuador predicted lineup vs. Brazil (3-4-2-1): Galíndez; Ordóñez, Pacho, Hincapié; Franco, Caicedo, Vite, Estupiñán; Preciado, Plata; Valencia.
Brazil Team News
Ancelotti has selected an intriguing first squad, with no place for Brazil superstar Neymar due to a recent injury. There are returns for Premier League trio Richarlison, Casemiro and Antony, though, with the latter having particularly impressed in recent months following a fruitful loan spell with Real Betis.
There are no surprises when it comes to the selection of Brazil’s established stars, with Raphinha, Vinícius Júnior, Marquinhos, Alisson and Bruno Guimarães all chosen. New Manchester United signing Matheus Cunha is also included alongside Chelsea duo Andrey Santos and Estêvão.
Injuries have limited Ancelotti’s options somewhat and he’s missing the likes of Gabriel Magalhaães, Éder Militão, Joelinton and Rodrygo.
Brazil Predicted Lineup vs. Ecuador
Brazil predicted lineup vs. Ecuador (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Vanderson, Marquinhos, Danilo, Augusto; Guimarães, Gerson; Raphinha, Cunha, Vinícius; Richarlison.
Ecuador vs. Brazil Score Prediction
Ancelotti will be determined to get off to a winning start in South America but conquering the resilient Ecuador will prove no simple feat. Beccacece’s side are unbeaten at home in qualifying and despite their long winless run in this fixture—they haven’t beaten Brazil since 2004—they have drawn two of their last three with the Seleção.
Brazil are missing some key players, particularly in defense, and will be expected to take time adjusting to Ancelotti’s demands. A trip to Ecuador is a challenging start and there may be no debut victory for the former Real Madrid boss.
Prediction: Ecuador 1–1 Brazil
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ecuador vs. Brazil: Preview, Predictions and Lineups.
