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Raphinha released by Brazil: slight oedema in his right thigh, back to Barcelona
Taken off at half-time of the 4-2 friendly win over Australia, Raphinha went through scans on Wednesday: a slight muscular oedema at the back of his right thigh. Brazil release him without a replacement; he misses Saturday’s friendly against India and heads back to Barcelona.
In the second friendly of the window against Australia, Raphinha scored, then made way for Endrick at the break. Brazil won 4-2; their winger had felt discomfort in his right thigh. Wednesday’s imaging showed a slight muscular oedema at the back of the thigh.
The Brazilian federation moved quickly. “As a precaution and to help his swift recovery, the player will be released from the national team. No athlete will replace him for the friendly against India,” the CBF statement reads. Brazil play India on Saturday without him. Raphinha is already on his way back to Catalonia.
A light diagnosis, no timetable
The Catalan press has already picked the gentle scenario: Sport rules out a tear, RAC-1 calls it a simple alert. The CBF statement stops at the oedema, with no severity given and no length of absence. That right thigh, So Foot recalls, already cost him matches last season, notably at the World Cup.
Laporta points at the long international breaks
The Barça president did not wait for the results to speak. “This news worries us a lot. We are not happy. It has already happened to others, and that is the risk of these long interruptions,” he told RAC-1, criticising windows that “work almost as a pre-season”.
On the pitch, Barcelona lose for now their in-form player: 14 goals and 3 assists in 8 matches this season. No date has been given for his return; the next word will come from the club.