Brazil went to Boston to beat France in a pre-World Cup warm-up. They lost 2-1, and by Saturday morning the damage extended well beyond the scoreline.
Three players have left Ancelotti's squad with physical problems following the match at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough on Thursday night. Raphinha did not make it out of the dressing room for the second half. Wesley also felt discomfort in his right thigh during the game. And Vinicius Junior, despite completing the match, sat out training on Saturday with muscular fatigue.
The worst news concerns Raphinha. Barcelona confirmed on Friday that he has suffered a right hamstring injury, specifically to the biceps femoris. The estimated recovery time is five weeks. He will miss both Champions League quarter-final legs against Atletico Madrid on April 8 and April 14, plus several La Liga fixtures. This is the third time this season he has injured the same area. Brazil start their World Cup campaign against Morocco on June 13, and with Ancelotti reportedly finalising his squad list around May 17, Raphinha is now in a race against time to be involved.
Wesley's injury has been confirmed by the CBF as a muscle issue in the same region of the right thigh. He has been released from the squad and will return to his club for treatment.
Vinicius is the one Real Madrid are watching most closely right now. COPE's Miguel Angel Diaz reported on Sunday that Vinicius is not seriously hurt and that if he does not play against Croatia on Tuesday it will purely be a precautionary decision. However, Real Madrid will not rest easy until he is back in Madrid and confirmed fit ahead of the Bayern Munich tie on April 7.
The irony of the situation is not lost on anyone inside Brazilian football. Carlo Ancelotti was appointed to prepare Brazil for the World Cup, using these international windows to build chemistry and test combinations. In this particular window, the preparation has consisted of a defeat and three injury scares, all in the same game. The football itself has become secondary.
