Chelsea’s Joao Pedro out of Brazil squad for upcoming friendlies with injury
Brazil have announced that Joao Pedro is no longer in the national team squad for the upcoming international window due to injury.
The 24-year-old forward has been replaced with Fluminense’s Martinelli by head coach Carlo Ancelotti, a statement on their website read on Wednesday.
Chelsea are next in action against Brentford in the Premier League on Friday, and it remains to be seen if the Brazilian will feature.
Joao Pedro has had a bright start to the 2026-27 campaign for Chelsea, scoring three and registering three assists in their opening four Premier League games.
He registered 20 goals over 50 appearances in all competitions last term in his first season at Stamford Bridge, and was rewarded with a contract extension to 2034 despite only joining from Brighton & Hove Albion the summer before on a seven-year deal.
Joao Pedro was not called up by Ancelotti for the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, however, and last played for his country on April 1.
Brazil will take on Australia twice, on September 25 and 29, and India once on October 3 in the extended international break.
How could this affect Chelsea?
Analysis by Chelsea correspondent Liam Twomey
Chelsea’s immediate concern will be what Joao Pedro’s injury means for their chances of beating Brentford on Friday night.
Xabi Alonso will be asked about the Brazilian’s injury in his pre-match press conference at Cobham on Thursday, and there is every reason to believe he will confirm his star striker is unavailable to face Brentford if he has already been ruled out of Brazil duty.
That is a significant problem, and not just because Joao Pedro has started this season in fantastic form.
Danny Welbeck has been playing well as his understudy, but Chelsea need their formidable attack at full power at the Gtech Stadium because their defence is leaking goals at an alarming rate.
Luton Town are the only team to fail to score at least twice against Chelsea this season, and a confident Brentford side will fancy their chances of continuing that record. If they do, Alonso’s men will need plenty of goals at the other end, and the firepower of this Chelsea team goes down considerably when Joao Pedro is not in it.
Beyond the Brentford game, an extended international break will at least give Joao Pedro a chance to get his body right without missing a larger chunk of Chelsea’s season.