New Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti considers Neymar “a very important player” and has urged the injury-prone star “to prepare well” for the 2026 World Cup.

“He must prepare well and he has the time to do that,” the Italian said in an interview with the South American football federation on Thursday.

“He’s a very important player for us regarding the World Cup,” Ancelotti added.

READ ALSO:2025/2026 Carabao Cup First Round Draw Confirmed [Full fixtures]

Neymar, 33, extended his contract with Brazilian side Santos to the end of the year this week.

Neymar’s career has been dogged by injury, and he has only played 12 matches in five months for Santos, scoring three goals.

Brazil’s top scorer with 79 goals was missing from Ancelotti’s first squad at the end of May.

With Neymar absent five-time world champions Brazil qualified for next year’s World Cup with a 1-0 win over Paraguay this month.

AFP

The first round draw for the 2025/26 Carabao Cup was held on Thursday evening, setting up a series of exciting ties across the English Football League (EFL).

Reigning champions Newcastle United, along with other Premier League clubs, were not included in this stage of the competition. Their entry will come in the later rounds.

A standout fixture from the draw sees Coventry City face Luton Town: a repeat of the dramatic 2023 Championship play-off final, reigniting a recent rivalry between the two sides.

Recently relegated Leicester City will begin their Carabao Cup journey with an away trip to Huddersfield Town, while Birmingham City square off against fellow former Premier League side Sheffield United in another high-profile clash.

READ ALSO:Club World Cup 2025: 8 Teams Qualify For Round Of 16

Here is the full draw for the Carabao Cup:

Carabao Cup First Round Draw in Full

Southern Section:

Coventry City vs Luton Town

Bristol City vs MK Dons

Bromley vs Ipswich Town

Bristol Rovers vs Cambridge United

Leyton Orient vs Wycombe Wanderers

Watford vs Norwich City

Charlton Athletic vs Stevenage

Oxford United vs Colchester United

READ ALSO:PSG Beat Reims To Win French Cup Ahead Of Champions League Final

Barnet or Newport County vs Millwall

Cardiff City vs Swindon Town

Gillingham vs AFC Wimbledon

Northampton Town vs Southampton

Cheltenham Town vs Exeter City

Plymouth Argyle vs QPR

Swansea City vs Crawley Town

Portsmouth vs Reading
Northern Section:

Barrow vs Preston North End

Grimsby Town vs Shrewsbury Town

Blackpool vs Port Vale

Salford City vs Rotherham United

Harrogate Town vs Lincoln City

Tranmere Rovers vs Burton Albion

Stockport County vs Crewe Alexandra

READ ALSO:Man City Sink Forest To Reach Third Successive FA Cup Final

Huddersfield Town vs Leicester City

Wrexham vs Hull City

Birmingham City vs Sheffield United

Stoke City vs Walsall

Accrington Stanley/Oldham
Athletic vs Peterborough United

Blackburn Rovers vs Bradford City

Middlesbrough vs Doncaster Rovers

West Bromwich Albion vs Derby County

Bolton Wanderers vs Sheffield Wednesday

Chesterfield vs Mansfield Town

Barnsley vs Fleetwood Town

Wigan Athletic vs Notts County

The ties will be played in early August as clubs look to make an early mark in the domestic cup competition.

New Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso warned his team’s stars including Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe on Wednesday that they must all pitch in defensively.

Last season under Carlo Ancelotti Los Blancos failed to win a major trophy and the Italian was at times exasperated with his forward line’s unwillingness to work hard enough for the sake of the team as a whole.

“What I am certain of is that we need and want everyone to defend — the 11 players on the pitch have to be involved defensively,” Alonso told a news conference ahead of Madrid’s Club World Cup clash against RB Salzburg.

“They have to get close together, they have to know how we want to press, and without that, things will be very complicated.

READ ALSO:Mbappe, Alonso, Arteta, Others Win At Globe Soccer Awards [See Full List]

“Vini, Jude (Bellingham), Fede (Valverde), Kylian, those up front, the defence has to push forward too.”

Ancelotti said last season that he was not concerned if Mbappe pressed or not and wanted the striker to focus on goalscoring.

The 26-year-old netted 43 goals across all competitions in his first season at the Santiago Bernabeu after his move from Paris Saint-Germain.

Real Madrid face Austrian side Salzburg in Philadelphia on Thursday, looking to seal top spot in their final Group H match, but will be without Mbappe.

READ ALSO:Mbappe To Miss Real Madrid Copa Clash Against Real Sociedad

The French superstar was not named as part of the squad to take on Salzburg as he continues his recovery from a stomach bug.

Mbappe missed the team’s first two matches but returned to training on Wednesday.

“I was happy to see him on the (training) pitch, it was the first day he’s got his boots back on and has been running, he’s doing well, but not enough to play tomorrow with the level that we need,” said Alonso.

“He said it himself when we spoke after training, he prefers to be ready for the last 16, he’s in the recovery process, he wasn’t perfect for tomorrow.”

READ ALSO:Mbappe Scores Double As Real Madrid Wave Goodbye To Ancelotti, Modric

In Madrid’s second match, a 3-1 win over Mexican side Pachuca, Brazilian forward Rodrygo was left on the bench, amid speculation he could depart the club this summer.

However Alonso said the Brazilian was still a valuable member of the team.

“He’s doing well, he’s enthusiastic, it was a technical decision (to bench him) the other day, but Rodrygo is still an important player, we will need him in this Club World Cup,” said Alonso.

“He’s a special player and he will have a big role at this tournament.”