Raphinha has returned to Barcelona for treatment on a muscle injury sustained with Brazil, casting doubt on his availability for the next league match. The club, however, remains optimistic about a quick recovery in time for the fixture against Getafe.
The forward, who is the team's top scorer this season with 12 goals in seven appearances, played 45 minutes in Brazil's friendly against Australia. He wore the number 10 as captain and scored a penalty just before halftime, but did not emerge for the second half due to discomfort in his right posterior thigh. Medical tests on Wednesday confirmed a small muscular edema in that area.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) released the player as a precaution. Raphinha will now recover at Barcelona's facilities under the supervision of the club's medical staff. President Joan Laporta expressed initial concern. "We did not like hearing that Raphinha did not come out for the second half because he had discomfort," Laporta said, adding he was awaiting the MRI results. The player himself sent a calming message on social media with the word "tranquility".
This is not the first time Raphinha has had issues in that same right thigh area. Last season he missed 26 matches due to various thigh injuries, most of them occurring during call-ups with the Brazilian national team. In total, he has suffered four previous similar episodes that kept him out for over 150 days combined for club and country.
Raphinha's return is vital for a Barcelona side sitting top of La Liga with a perfect 21 points from seven games, five points clear of Atlético Madrid. The team is on a flawless run of five consecutive wins, the latest a 1-3 victory at Sevilla. Their next fixture is at home against 11th-placed Getafe on October 10. The squad has been heavily impacted by the international break, with 17 players away, though Eric García also returned early with a knee edema. Fans can check the full season schedule on our fixtures page and the squad status.
The club expects Raphinha to be available for that match at the Spotify Camp Nou. His goalscoring contribution is key to maintaining the momentum of a team that has scored 31 league goals and conceded just seven.
First reported at Marca
