Carlo Ancelotti responds to Barcelona over Raphinha call-up

Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti remains unyielding as concerns continue to mount in Barcelona. The Italian tactician has named Raphinha in his squad for Brazil's upcoming November friendlies in Singapore. The decision has not gone down well at Camp Nou, with the Blaugrana captain having only recently returned from injury to regular first-team action.

A Brazil side currently undergoing a major rebuild will take on Japan on Saturday, November 14, before facing the hosts three days later on Tuesday, November 17, who sit 149th out of 211 nations in the latest FIFA rankings. The call-up means the Catalan forward faces a grueling journey of nearly 22,000 kilometers for the fixtures in Asia.

Speaking at a press conference at the Brazilian Football Confederation's headquarters in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, Ancelotti was questioned about the frustration expressed by Barcelona president Joan Laporta. The Catalan chief's irritation stems from the injury Raphinha suffered on September 29 during a friendly against Australia in Brisbane, from which he is still working to regain top form.

Laporta had already voiced his strong opposition to the demanding fixture schedule, arguing that clubs suffer "immense damage" from international windows. The Blaugrana president took issue with the length of the previous international break, which featured three matches for Brazil and four for European teams competing in the Nations League.

"We maintain positive relationships with both Brazilian and European clubs, regularly sharing updates on the players' fitness. Overall, the communication is good," Ancelotti said, firmly denying that Barcelona or any other club had formally requested their players be rested for the November fixtures.

"We have received no individual requests, nor do we need any. During FIFA breaks, we will always call up the players we consider essential to the Brazilian national team," the Italian coach stressed in a firm tone.

Even so, Ancelotti and the confederation made a slight concession for domestic clubs currently in the decisive stages of the Brasileirão. "It is a very sensitive period for them, which is why we only selected one player per club, and we didn't call up anyone from Flamengo or Palmeiras since they are locked in a direct title race," the manager explained.

The former Real Madrid boss went on to justify his decision to rely on Barcelona's number 11. Brazil are looking to integrate fresh faces following their disappointing World Cup exit in the round of 16 against Norway.

"We have launched a rejuvenation project, and the timing is ideal. In September, we began blooding younger talent, and we continue to monitor those who represent the future of this squad. We've put together a well-balanced group, including nine Olympic-age players and fifteen players under the age of 23," Ancelotti commented.

However, the manager emphasized the need to preserve the core of the team. "We selected five players who featured at the World Cup and will play leading roles in this new cycle leading up to the Copa América and the next World Cup. Those are Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães, Bruno Guimarães, Vinicius Junior, and Raphinha. As for Douglas Santos, he is back with us following his very strong showing at the World Cup," he added.

Asked whether he plans to deploy Raphinha as a central striker—a role the Brazilian has played for Barcelona this season and where he featured when picking up his injury against Australia—Ancelotti kept his cards close to his chest: "We have versatile attacking options who can successfully operate in multiple positions across the pitch."

The Italian was far more explicit regarding the tactical setup he intends to use against Japan and Singapore: "I focus on our own strengths rather than the qualities of our opponents. We will continue to set up with three midfielders and three forwards." His comments poured cold water on any switch to a four-man frontline—an experiment that failed to deliver the desired results at the World Cup and in the friendly against the Aussies.