Mark Smith

Tue 5 October 2021 18:10, UK

Leeds United are once again stuck in a major debacle surrounding Raphinha and his Brazil call-up.

The Whites superstar has jetted out of the UK to join up with his national side and looks set to make his debut.

Globo Esporte has now reported that Leeds look set to be without the winger against Southampton on October 16th.

Leeds among with other Premier League clubs had reportedly requested their players were released early to avoid that.

Brazil play their final game of this break two days before the trip to Southampton, and that is before the flight home.

Raphinha would face an almost 12-hour flight and then have to isolate for up to five days due to COVID-19 rulings.

The CBF remain in dialogue with these clubs but don’t want to release any of the players early midway through this month.

Debacle.

This has been an ongoing failure since day one.

It should be simple for the confederations and clubs to come to a decision, but yet it appears that neither party is going to be left happy.

The big problem is that eight of Brazil’s squad is made up of Premier League players, so if they make an exemption for one of those, they will have to for the other seven too.

Tite is likely thinking that if he loses eight of his squad before the Uruguay clash next week, he will be considerably weaker and will set him up for defeat.

Given the COVID-19 crisis over the past two years, international football should have come up with something different to prevent pointless games every single month.

As things stand, it looks as though we will be without Raphinha against Southampton, unless something dramatically changes soon.

In other Leeds United news, Graham Smyth shares if Kalvin Phillips will miss PL games after England injury withdrawal