Injury rules Raphinha out of India friendly

Raphinha underwent an MRI scan that confirmed the injury, and "as a precautionary measure and to facilitate his recovery, the medical staff decided to exclude him from the national team," the Brazilian Confederation explained in its statement.

The federation added that it will not call up any other player to replace him ahead of the friendly match scheduled for Saturday against India in Kolkata, where the "Seleção"—which exited the North American World Cup this summer in the round of 16 at the hands of Norway (1-2)—will be heavy favorites to secure their second victory in this international window.

In a statement to an Indian newspaper last week, Ancelotti affirmed that the five-time world champions are taking their friendly match against India very seriously, stressing that "there is never a friendly match" for the "Seleção".

Saturday's match will be Brazil's first on Indian soil, where football enjoys great popularity despite the overwhelming dominance of cricket.

The visit will give local fans a rare opportunity to watch one of the most famous teams in football history up close.

The "Times of India" quoted Ancelotti as saying, "Brazil has fans in every corner of the world. It is exciting for us to play in India, not only for the Brazilian fans, but also for the Indian supporters."

Although the match is a friendly, the veteran Italian coach emphasized that Brazil will treat it with utmost seriousness, saying, "It is a preparatory and friendly match, but for us, there is never a friendly match."