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Ancelotti: Brazil Need to Get the Best Out of Vinicius Jr

Brazil's soccer coach Carlo Ancelotti gives a press conference ahead his team's World Cup qualifying match against Ecuador, in Guayaquil, Ecuador, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Cesar Munoz)
Brazil's soccer coach Carlo Ancelotti gives a press conference ahead his team's World Cup qualifying match against Ecuador, in Guayaquil, Ecuador, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Cesar Munoz)
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Ancelotti: Brazil Need to Get the Best Out of Vinicius Jr

Brazil's soccer coach Carlo Ancelotti gives a press conference ahead his team's World Cup qualifying match against Ecuador, in Guayaquil, Ecuador, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Cesar Munoz)
Brazil's soccer coach Carlo Ancelotti gives a press conference ahead his team's World Cup qualifying match against Ecuador, in Guayaquil, Ecuador, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Cesar Munoz)

Brazil must help striker Vinicius Jr rediscover the form he has displayed at Real Madrid, new national team coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Wednesday.

Ancelotti, who guided the Spanish giants to several titles alongside the Brazilian forward, including two Champions League triumphs and two LaLiga crowns, said that his unique ability to unsettle opposing defenses made him a vital asset.

“I don't know if he's been at his best here, but he has time to do what he does at Real Madrid,” Ancelotti told reporters ahead of Brazil’s World Cup qualifying match against Ecuador on Thursday — his first match in charge of the national team.

“For us, he's a fundamental player. We have to work to ensure he performs at his best here,” the manager added, according to Reuters.

Vinicius made his World Cup debut in Qatar in 2022 and has been a regular during their qualifying campaign for the 2026 tournament. However, he has struggled for form with the national team, falling short of his usual standards at Real Madrid.

Regarding his tactical approach, Ancelotti stated that he aims to field a compact, balanced team.

"I don't want a team with a clear identity. We have to defend well, whether it's 4-3-3 or 4-4-2. We have to defend together and use creativity with the ball,” he said.

"Individual quality is not enough today; you have to combine it with attitude, drive and commitment.”

He didn't reveal his starting line-up for his debut as coach, but he did have words of praise for 18-year-old Estevao, who is leaving Palmeiras for Chelsea and has been tipped for a bright future with the national team.

"He's got a special talent... he's got character, he's a good person, he's humble, and he seems fine to me, but with a young player we have to be patient and careful. He has the characteristics to be very important for the future of the national team," the coach said.

Brazil are fourth in the standings for the South American World Cup qualifiers, while their opponents Ecuador are second, behind world champions Argentina. The top six qualify directly for the World Cup.

They will host Paraguay in Sao Paulo next week and could secure an early spot at next year's World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

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Sports

Inter Milan Has 70% Chance of Serie A Title After Becoming Winter Champion

Football - Serie A - Inter Milan v Napoli - San Siro, Milan, Italy - January 11, 2026 Inter Milan coach Cristian Chivu reacts. (Reuters)
Football - Serie A - Inter Milan v Napoli - San Siro, Milan, Italy - January 11, 2026 Inter Milan coach Cristian Chivu reacts. (Reuters)
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Inter Milan Has 70% Chance of Serie A Title After Becoming Winter Champion

Football - Serie A - Inter Milan v Napoli - San Siro, Milan, Italy - January 11, 2026 Inter Milan coach Cristian Chivu reacts. (Reuters)
Football - Serie A - Inter Milan v Napoli - San Siro, Milan, Italy - January 11, 2026 Inter Milan coach Cristian Chivu reacts. (Reuters)

Inter Milan has a 70% chance of winning Serie A according to history.

In 63 of the 93 previous Serie A seasons, the team which topped the table at the midway point went on to claim the scudetto.

Inter strong-armed its way to the title of winter champion on Wednesday when Pio Esposito flexed his muscles.

“This semi title doesn’t mean anything,” Inter coach Cristian Chivu said. “What matters is getting to the end, getting to May, getting there knowing that we are competitive, staying fixed to the top of the table ... because it will be a tight league campaign and a battle until the very end.”

It has been tight this season but Inter created a gap at the top of the table on Wednesday.

The 1-0 win over Lecce combined with Napoli’s goalless draw against Parma gave the Nerazzurri a six-point advantage over AC Milan and defending champion Napoli.

AC Milan, second on goal difference, could cut the gap back to three points if it wins at Como on Thursday.

Two years ago, Inter was on top at the midway point and went on to win Serie A. However, it was also the last team to be named winter champion and lose out on the trophy — in 2022, when the crown went to AC Milan.

Inter visits Udinese on Saturday, shortly after Napoli hosts Sassuolo. Milan welcomes Lecce on Sunday.

Key matchups

Napoli has reeled off three straight draws going into its match with struggling Sassuolo.

Antonio Conte’s team fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 against relegation-threatened Hellas Verona, then drew by the same scoreline in a thrilling title showdown against Inter before Wednesday’s frustration.

Sassuolo has just one win from its past nine matches and that came over a month ago.

Juventus and Roma were just a point behind Napoli and any further slip up could see them leapfrog the defending champion. Juventus visits Cagliari on Saturday, the day before Roma plays at Torino.

Bologna has slid down the table following a miserable run of results and hasn’t won since November. Coach Vincenzo Italiano will be up against his former team in the visit of relegation-threatened Fiorentina.

Players to watch

Pio Esposito has come from Serie B to scoring in every competition for Inter this season, as well as netting three for Italy. The 20-year-old ticked another box when he finally scored at San Siro for the first time in Serie A.

“I’ve been waiting for this goal for a long time and finally it’s here,” he said. “It was amazing to score at home in front of these fans. I’ve dreamed of it since I was a kid wearing this shirt.”

Esposito is already being touted as Italy’s next great center forward and celebrated the goal by showing his muscles before a warm embrace with Chivu.

“We have a bond that goes beyond words but there’s lots of respect and affection,” Esposito said. “We grew together, me as a player and him as a coach.”

Napoli’s frustrating evening on the same night had much to do with Parma goalkeeper Filippo Rinaldi on his Serie A debut. He was named player of the match.

Out of action

Conte will again be forced to watch from the stands as the Napoli coach serves the second of a two-match suspension after he was sent off at San Siro.

Napoli will hope David Neres will make a proper return. The Brazilian came on as a second-half substitute against Parma after missing the past couple of matches with an ankle sprain but he was clearly not fully fit and was taken off shortly before fulltime.

Key Inter midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu has strained his left calf and is expected to be sidelined for three weeks.

Off the field

There will be no Italy training camp in February ahead of a crucial World Cup playoff in March.

Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso hoped the Italian soccer federation and Lega Serie A could come to an agreement to amend the fixture list to give the Azzurri a few days to spend together.

But it was confirmed this week that would not be the case, as a congested fixture list and television demands made it impossible to find a window.

Italy last played on Nov. 16 and will meet up on the night of March 22, just four days before the World Cup semifinal playoff against Northern Ireland.

Sports

Chelsea Working to Contain Illness in Squad Ahead of Brentford Clash, Says Rosenior

Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Charlton Athletic v Chelsea - The Valley, London, Britain - January 10, 2026 Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior looks on before the match. (Reuters)
Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Charlton Athletic v Chelsea - The Valley, London, Britain - January 10, 2026 Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior looks on before the match. (Reuters)
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Chelsea Working to Contain Illness in Squad Ahead of Brentford Clash, Says Rosenior

Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Charlton Athletic v Chelsea - The Valley, London, Britain - January 10, 2026 Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior looks on before the match. (Reuters)
Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Charlton Athletic v Chelsea - The Valley, London, Britain - January 10, 2026 Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior looks on before the match. (Reuters)

Chelsea are working to ensure that more players are not affected by an illness that has sidelined Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens as well as some staff members ahead of their Premier League meeting with Brentford, head coach Liam Rosenior said on Thursday.

Striker Delap and winger Gittens missed Chelsea's 3-2 League Cup loss in the first leg of their semi-final against Arsenal on Wednesday, with Rosenior saying after the defeat that the pair had "really high temperatures".

"Liam (Delap) is still at home at the moment, as is Jamie Gittens. The club doctors are doing everything they can to contain what looks to ‌be a virus ‌because some members of our staff have ‌gone ⁠down as ‌well," Rosenior told reporters.

"We had a meeting today with the players about washing their hands, the basics, which is really important and hopefully we can contain it. We have a busy period, so we need everyone ready to go and fit and healthy."

Chelsea, who have one win in nine Premier League games, will be desperate to get their campaign back ⁠on track when they host fifth-placed Brentford on Saturday.

They could be handed a major boost ‌with the return of key players Reece ‍James and Cole Palmer, who missed ‍the FA Cup win at Charlton Athletic and the match against ‍Arsenal after picking up knocks last week.

"Both of them are training today," Rosenior said.

"We just need to assess them after training and make sure they come through all the protocols they need to come through but it would be great to have them back in the squad and at the moment, it looks like they could be."

The ⁠Englishman was also asked whether his first choice for goalkeeper had changed after Robert Sanchez committed two costly errors against Arsenal.

Sanchez failed to deal with Declan Rice's seventh-minute corner, allowing Ben White to stab in the opener. The goalkeeper then spilled White's cross early in the second half, leaving Viktor Gyokeres to tap home in the 49th minute.

"I am here to assess every position. I don't have number ones or number twos, that's not how I work," Rosenior said.

"If you look at me at every club, there has to be competition. Not just in the ‌goalkeeping department but in every position on the pitch and you have to earn your spot in this team."

Sports

Laimer Joins Bayern’s Growing Absentee List

Wolfsburg's Croatian midfielder #10 Lovro Majer (L) and Bayern Munich's Austrian midfielder #27 Konrad Laimer vie for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg in Munich, southern Germany, on January 11, 2026. (AFP)
Wolfsburg's Croatian midfielder #10 Lovro Majer (L) and Bayern Munich's Austrian midfielder #27 Konrad Laimer vie for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg in Munich, southern Germany, on January 11, 2026. (AFP)
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Laimer Joins Bayern’s Growing Absentee List

Wolfsburg's Croatian midfielder #10 Lovro Majer (L) and Bayern Munich's Austrian midfielder #27 Konrad Laimer vie for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg in Munich, southern Germany, on January 11, 2026. (AFP)
Wolfsburg's Croatian midfielder #10 Lovro Majer (L) and Bayern Munich's Austrian midfielder #27 Konrad Laimer vie for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg in Munich, southern Germany, on January 11, 2026. (AFP)

Injured Bayern Munich midfielder Konrad Laimer became the latest player added to the club's growing absentee list, the defending champions announced on Thursday.

Laimer, 28, will be missing "for the time being" the club said in a statement, ruling him out of Saturday's trip to former side RB Leipzig.

Unbeaten Bayern are 11 points clear in the league but are coping with a wave of absentees.

Germany captain Joshua Kimmich, Jamal Musiala and Josip Stanisic are also injured, Alphonso Davies and Sacha Boey are yet to play in 2026 due to illness while Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson is at the Africa Cup of Nations.