The new Brazil coach, Carlo Ancelotti, hasn't taken long to generate controversy in his first draft with the canarinha. The friendlies against Chile and Bolivia, completely irrelevant in sporting terms, have become a headache for FC Barcelona.
At Camp Nou, the use that the former Real Madrid coach has made of the Italian manager Raphinha hasn't been well received.
Vinícius, Rodrygo, and Militao, all Real Madrid players, were given rest by the coach. Meanwhile, the blaugrana winger was forced to play both matches.
Most seriously: he did so in extreme conditions, since the second match was played at the altitude of La Paz, above 13,123 ft. (4,000 meters).
Barça asked for a gesture and was ignored
From the blaugrana board, there were negotiations with the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) to try to release Raphinha from the second match. They argued that the effort was unnecessary and that the player should return to Barcelona as soon as possible to be at Flick's disposal.
The club expected that, as in the case of the Madrid players, the winger would be given rest, but Ancelotti remained inflexible. Raphinha was not only drafted, but ended up playing more than half an hour in Bolivia, in conditions that don't benefit Barça at all.
Major anger in the culé locker room
The reaction within the club has been immediate. Internal sources acknowledge a "monumental anger" with the CBF and, above all, with Ancelotti. They believe that he has acted with a clear double standard, protecting Real Madrid footballers and unnecessarily pushing Raphinha.
The anger isn't limited to the board. In the locker room, it has also been very poorly received that the Brazilian had to face this extra effort while other teammates rested. In a schedule packed with matches, every minute counts and the new coach's management has been seen as a provocation.
Laporta is already preparing the response
Barça's strategy is clear. According to MB, Laporta wants Raphinha to appear as "injured" for the next Brazil draft. The intention is for the player to stay in Barcelona to recover, regain freshness, and avoid further unnecessary effort.
The club is willing to push the limits with the CBF, relying on the protection of its squad's interests. In fact, it isn't ruled out that this move could open a diplomatic conflict with the Brazilian federation, which already knows that Camp Nou won't stand idly by.
A dangerous precedent
What happened with Raphinha sets a precedent that worries the sporting leadership. Barça fears that with every draft, Brazil will repeat this pattern: total rest for the Madrid players and maximum demands for the blaugranas. Laporta isn't willing to tolerate it.
The battle is just beginning. Ancelotti has shown his hand and at Camp Nou they're already preparing the response. The Raphinha case promises to be much talked about in the coming months.