Brazil keep Raphinha in Singapore despite suspension, frustrating Barcelona

Brazil captain Raphinha will remain with the national team in Singapore despite being sent off against Japan, meaning he will miss Tuesday’s friendly against Singapore and delay his return to Barcelona.

The decision is expected to create fresh tension between the Brazilian Football Confederation and Barcelona, with Raphinha continuing to stay at Brazil’s training camp rather than being released early.

Raphinha played 71 minutes in the match against Japan before being dismissed in a dramatic conclusion. Barcelona manager and Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti was also sent off after both protested Japan’s final goal, which followed a clear foul on Joao Gomes.

Brazil are scheduled to play another match at Singapore’s National Stadium next Tuesday. Raphinha will serve a one-match suspension and will therefore be unable to take part.

Ancelotti will also be barred from sitting on the bench, leaving him to decide which member of his coaching staff should lead the team during the fixture.

Under the usual approach taken by Brazil in friendlies and South American World Cup qualifying matches, Raphinha would have been expected to leave the squad once his suspension was confirmed. That would have allowed him to return to Barcelona earlier and begin preparing for his club commitments.

However, that will not happen this time. Rodrigo Caetano, Brazil’s general executive co-ordinator for the men’s national teams, confirmed in the mixed zone at the National Stadium that Raphinha would stay with the squad.

“Raphinha will stay. For now, he will continue to remain with us… It makes no sense for him to leave because he is one of our captains,” Caetano said.

Regarding Ancelotti’s replacement on the touchline, Caetano added: “We will settle this later and calmly, and study who can replace the coach in the best possible way, because we have a highly qualified coaching staff with many good people, and we will share the responsibilities among them.”

Unless the decision changes, Raphinha will not begin the journey back to Barcelona until after Tuesday’s match, which he will watch from the stands. The trip is about 11,000 kilometres and requires more than 12 hours of flying.

That delay will also affect the start of his preparations and his adjustment to Barcelona’s local time. Singapore is seven hours ahead of the Catalan city.

Barcelona’s next La Liga match is on Sunday, 22 November, when they will host Villarreal at Spotify Camp Nou. The following week, Hans Flick’s side face their longest journey of the opening stage of the UEFA Champions League, travelling to face Sabah FC at the Olympic Stadium in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, on Wednesday, 25 November.

The trip to Baku is expected to cover about 4,000 kilometres and take more than five hours by air.