International breaks are a source of anxiety for clubs, as players risk injury while under national team duty. FC Barcelona saw Raphinha (a 29-year-old forward) suffer a thigh injury during the friendly match against Australia this Tuesday. According to an official statement from the Brazilian federation, he has been ruled out for the remainder of the international break. His availability for the match between Paris Saint-Germain and Barça—scheduled for October 20 (Champions League Matchday 3)—is now in doubt.
“Raphinha underwent imaging tests on Wednesday the 30th, revealing slight muscle edema in the back of his right thigh. As a precaution and to facilitate a speedy recovery, the player will be released from the Brazilian national team squad. No other player will be called up to replace him for the friendly match against India,” the CBF stated.
This is a potential blow for Barça, given that Raphinha had been in excellent form at the start of the season, recording 14 goals and 3 assists in 8 matches across all competitions. If the Brazilian’s injury proves long-term, it would pose a significant problem for the team, even though the high-quality squad still offers excellent alternatives. We will have to wait a few more days for a more precise return date.
In the meantime—with Frenkie de Jong (a 29-year-old midfielder) expected to remain sidelined for a few more weeks and Eric Garcia (a 25-year-old defender) having suffered a minor injury a few days ago—Barça’s management has already expressed dissatisfaction regarding how Raphinha was handled during the friendly matches against Australia.
