Ancelotti Seals the ‘Raphinha Scandal’

The international break left a detail that hit Barcelona like a bomb: Raphinha traveled with Brazil, played against Chile, and despite the World Cup ticket already being secured, was still forced to feature in the high altitude of El Alto, more than 4,100 meters above sea level. All this while other Real Madrid stars like Vinicius, Rodrygo and Militao were not even called up.

Raphinha’s Role With Brazil

The Barça winger started against Chile at the Maracanã and proved to be one of the most influential players in attack. Although the goals came from Luiz Henrique and Lucas Paquetá, Raphinha was a constant threat, forced the rebound that led to Estevao’s goal, and led several dangerous set-piece plays. Against Bolivia, his impact was less significant, but he still logged minutes that many at Barcelona consider unnecessary.

Ancelotti’s Controversial Choice

What surprised most was that after the Maracanã clash on September 5, Raphinha could have returned to his club. Instead, Ancelotti decided to give his squad three days off before traveling to Bolivia, prolonging a stay that seemed pointless. 

For Barça, seeing one of their key starters worn out at altitude while Madrid’s stars were spared is, at the very least, a bitter comparison.

The Player Speaks Out

After the match in El Alto, Raphinha did not hide his frustration: “Playing at 4,000 meters above sea level just to win the match really harms the teams. And then, in a tight game like the one we were playing, the referee invented a penalty.” His words reflect not only physical exhaustion but also the frustration of being exposed in a game with no real stakes.