Barcelona forward Raphinha has apologized for his late-game red card during Brazil’s 3-2 international friendly loss to Japan. Despite the apology, the Brazil captain expressed significant frustration with the officiating, specifically claiming the referee was unwilling to hear his concerns during the match. The Barcelona superstar claimed that the referee was not even willing to listen to him, speaking after the game. However, the forward also put the blame firmly on the referee, who gave him the marching orders. Raphinha’s complaints went beyond the winner.
The incident occurred in the 91st minute while Raphinha was on the bench. He had already been substituted for Endrick in the 71st minute, at which point he had voiced his annoyance to the fourth official regarding several calls. His eventual sending off followed immediately after Tatsuhiro Sakamoto scored the deciding goal, a play Brazil players fiercely protested due to an alleged foul on Joao Gomes by Takumi Minamino.
Raphinha’s grievances extended throughout the match, citing three specific disputed decisions: a handball during Japan’s opening goal, a denied penalty appeal in the first half, and the challenge on Gomes. Japan had established a 2-0 lead within 19 minutes via Takefusa Kubo and Keito Nakamura, though Vinicius Jr later leveled the score with a brace in the 33rd and 75th minutes. Vinicius Jr pulled one back in the 33rd minute before grabbing the equaliser in the 75th minute.
Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti was also dismissed for entering the pitch to protest the officiating. Following the match, the Italian manager criticized the referee, suggesting he lacked the necessary experience to manage such a high-stakes encounter. The situation escalated after the final whistle, requiring security personnel to intervene and separate the Brazilian squad from the match officials.
This result marks the second time in 18 months that Japan has defeated Brazil by a 3-2 scoreline, despite Brazil’s 2-1 victory over the same opponent during this summer’s FIFA World Cup round of 32. As a consequence of the red cards issued in this friendly, both Raphinha and Ancelotti are set to miss Brazil’s upcoming match against Singapore on November 17.
