Barcelona has been left incensed by Carlo Ancelotti’s decision to call up Raphinha to the Brazilian national team, following the winger’s recent recovery from an injury sustained during the previous international break.
Ancelotti included the player in his squad for November, reigniting the Catalan club’s severe anxiety over losing one of their vital attacking weapons to another arduous international trip.
The Seleção will face Japan on November 14, followed by Singapore on November 17, with both fixtures scheduled to take place in Singapore—subjecting the squad to a round trip covering nearly 22,000 kilometers.
The timing of the call-up has drawn extra scrutiny as Raphinha has yet to complete a full 90 minutes since returning, at a time when Barcelona’s coaching staff is carefully managing his workload to rebuild his fitness gradually and prevent any recurrence.
According to reports, the winger returned injured from three separate international duty spells throughout 2026, including the March window, the World Cup, and the September break, explaining Barcelona’s rage and anxiety over a potential repeat scenario.
Addressing the controversy, Ancelotti responded: “We have not received any special requests, and we call up the players we consider important for the Brazilian national team.”
He added: “We maintain good relationships with the clubs and regularly exchange information about player fitness,” emphasizing that lines of communication remain open while the Brazilian setup sees no reason to exclude an available player.
The dispute comes at a delicate moment for Hansi Flick, who seeks stability in his lineup following demanding back-to-back clashes against Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, making Raphinha’s minute management during the two friendlies the main focus prior to his return to Catalonia.
