Raphinha confirms ear cyst surgery ahead of Brazil friendlies

What happened

Barcelona winger Raphinha has confirmed that he recently underwent a surgical procedure to remove a cyst from his left ear, according to a report by Get Spanish Football News. The player disclosed the operation while speaking to the media on Friday, during a break with the Brazil national team.

Report details

Raphinha is currently on international duty with Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil squad for an upcoming pair of fixtures against Japan and Singapore. According to the report, which cited ESPN, Raphinha said he brought the surgery forward so that he would be available to play in the two November friendlies. His availability for those matches had been in doubt until very recently, the report added.

Despite his inclusion, the report states that Raphinha's minutes are expected to be carefully managed by Ancelotti over the coming days. That caution follows an injury setback the attacker suffered while on international duty in September. The report did not specify the nature of that earlier injury or how much playing time Raphinha is expected to receive.