Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti has selected Raphinha for the November international break, despite concerns at Barcelona over the demands of another overseas trip and the winger’s recent injury record.
Brazil will play Japan on November 14 and Singapore on November 17, with both matches taking place in Singapore. Singapore are ranked 149th out of 211 teams in the latest FIFA rankings.
The journey will require Raphinha to travel almost 22,000 kilometres on a return flight to Asia. Barcelona are particularly concerned because the 29-year-old recently suffered a muscle injury while on international duty.
Raphinha was forced to leave the field during the first half of Brazil’s friendly against Australia in Brisbane on September 29. He returned to Barcelona before the tour ended, while Brazil went on to play a third friendly against India in Kolkata.
The November fixtures represent Brazil’s final international window in 2026, but the timing has prompted anxiety at Barcelona, with the club entering an important part of the season.
Manager Hansi Flick and Barcelona have already seen the consequences of Raphinha picking up injuries while representing his country. In March, he was injured during Brazil’s friendly against France in Boston and was subsequently unavailable for five weeks.
That absence included key matches in the knockout stages of the Copa del Rey and the Champions League. Barcelona were eliminated from both competitions by Atletico Madrid.
Raphinha’s problems also continued during the 2026 World Cup, when a previous injury recurred and ruled him out of Brazil’s match against Norway. Brazil lost that game.
His latest call-up therefore raises the possibility of another disruption for Barcelona, who will want their players to return from international duty without further injuries as the season reaches a critical stage.
