Ancelotti's masterplan! Raphinha to become Brazil's new striker

Carlo Ancelotti is ready to unleash a new weapon for Brazil: Raphinha as a central striker.

Details: The Brazil boss plans to try the Barcelona star as a number nine in the Selecao's next match. The idea is hardly surprising: Raphinha is the top scorer across Europe's top five leagues this season and has just scored hat-tricks in consecutive games, first in the 7-2 demolition of Racing Santander and then in the 3-1 win at Sevilla. Ancelotti recently called the Brazilian spectacular.

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The experiment makes perfect sense for a Brazil side searching for its post World Cup identity after the round of 16 exit to Norway. Ancelotti has backed Raphinha and Vinicius Junior to remain the pillars of his project, and moving the in form man into the middle could unlock both. For Barcelona, it is yet another proof that their captain is playing the best football of his life at 29: two hat-tricks in four days, leading the scoring charts of an entire continent, and now trusted with the most iconic shirt role in international football.

It's worth noting that Brazil's number nine shirt carries mythical weight, from Ronaldo to Romario. If Raphinha seizes it, Ancelotti may have found the answer to the question that has haunted the Selecao since the summer.

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