NEW YORK: Brazil will be without a key part of their attack for their Wednesday match against Scotland in Miami Gardens, Florida, as Raphinha will be sidelined due to a hamstring injury.
The Selecao could see the return of another star, though, as Neymar has recovered from a calf injury and is available to play the entire game if needed, according to Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Raphinha, 29, exited in the 40th minute of Brazil’s most recent match, a 3-0 victory over Haiti on Friday.
Asked who might fill in for the Barcelona winger, Ancelotti said Tuesday, “We’re thinking of nothing else but playing a good match with the best possible lineup. The same goes for the forward. We have a clear idea of who will replace Raphinha. There’s no point worrying about (yellow) cards.”
Rayan, a 19-year-old Bournemouth forward who made his Brazilian national team debut earlier this year, replaced Raphinha against Haiti. Ancelotti praised Rayan’s performance in that contest but stopped short of saying Rayan would start vs. Scotland.
