Chelsea's Joao Pedro ruled out of Brazil vs India friendly due to injury

Joao Pedro has pulled out of Brazil's squad for the friendlies against Australia and India after suffering an injury. His absence changes the build-up to the Kolkata match, although Brazil are still expected to bring several leading stars.

In Short

• Brazil confirmed João Pedro's withdrawal before friendlies against Australia and India
• The Chelsea forward's injury was undisclosed despite his strong early-season form
• Fluminense midfielder Martinelli has joined Ancelotti's squad as Pedro's replacement

Brazil forward Joao Pedro has withdrawn from the national squad due to an injury ahead of the team’s upcoming friendlies, including their much-anticipated clash against India in Kolkata. Fluminense midfielder Martinelli has been called up by Carlo Ancelotti as his replacement.

The Brazilian Football Confederation confirmed the change on Wednesday but did not reveal the nature of Joo Pedro’s injury. The Chelsea forward had been enjoying an excellent start to the season, scoring three goals in six appearances and being named the Premier League Player of the Month for August.

Joao Pedro played the full 2-2 draw against Hull last weekend and scored, with Chelsea yet to provide further details about his fitness. His absence means India will miss the opportunity to face one of the forwards who had been included in Ancelotti’s squad for the upcoming international window.

For India, the focus now shifts to the quality of the Brazil squad that will arrive in Kolkata for the October 3 friendly at the Salt Lake Stadium. The match is set to be one of the biggest fixtures in Indian football in recent years, with several established stars still expected to be part of Ancelotti’s plans.

MARTINELLI REPLACES JOAO PEDRO

Ancelotti has brought Martinelli into the squad following Joo Pedro’s withdrawal. The Fluminense midfielder will now be part of Brazil’s preparations for the matches against Australia and India.

Joao Pedro’s selection had also marked his return to the Brazil setup after he was surprisingly left out of the squad for the 2026 World Cup. His impressive form at Chelsea had made that decision a talking point, but his latest injury has now ended his involvement in the upcoming fixtures.

Brazil are entering a new phase following their early World Cup exit, with Ancelotti using the international window to assess his options ahead of future competitions.

BRAZIL STARS STILL EXPECTED IN KOLKATA

The absence of Joao Pedro does not take away from the star power expected in Kolkata. Vinicius Junior and Endrick are both part of Brazil’s squad, although their stay in India could be brief because of Real Madrid’s schedule.

According to The Telegraph, Real Madrid are considering sending a chartered flight to Kolkata to take Vinicius and Endrick back to Madrid soon after the India match. The club are scheduled to face Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu on October 10.

Brazil’s squad also includes Barcelona forward Raphinha, Paris Saint-Germain defender Marquinhos and Arsenal centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes. India will face Uruguay three days after the Brazil game, with Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde expected to feature for the South American side on October 6.

- Ends