FC Barcelona have received a major boost for their demanding October schedule with Raphinha cleared to face Getafe this Saturday. Medical tests conducted on Thursday at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper ruled out an injury to his right thigh, confirming the issue is only edema.
The Brazilian forward, who is the team's top scorer this season with 12 goals in seven appearances, returned to Barcelona on Thursday afternoon after a 20-plus hour journey from Melbourne. He had featured in Brazil's friendly against Australia, scoring a penalty in a 2-4 loss, and skipped a third match against India. The club will not issue an official medical bulletin as there is no injury, but will handle the player with caution during training sessions resuming on Monday.
Relief for the dressing room
The news brings relief to Hansi Flick's coaching staff, who count on the Brazilian as one of the dressing room leaders during a period of high demand. "Flick's team, which has Raphinha as one of the leaders in the dressing room, can breathe easy knowing he will be available for the next Liga match against Getafe," the manager said. Barcelona, who lead La Liga with 21 points from a possible 21, face a month with five key fixtures, including clashes against Betis, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. Maintaining momentum during this five-match winning streak, where the team has averaged 4.4 goals per game, is key for their position in the standings.
The team's attacking output, which has seen them score 31 goals in seven matchdays, would be severely hampered without their star forward. Raphinha was decisive in the last league win against Sevilla, scoring a hat-trick, and also netted three in the 7-2 thrashing of Racing Santander. His presence is vital to sustain the scoring rate, especially considering he has averaged a goal every 52 minutes in La Liga this season. His availability for the upcoming fixtures is a major plus. The next opponent, Getafe, sit eleventh and will visit the Spotify Camp Nou on Saturday 10 October at 18:30, a match for which Barcelona already have their scorer guaranteed.
First reported at Mundo Deportivo
