Raphinha Blow Hits Barcelona Hard

Barcelona have been dealt a significant setback ahead of their crucial UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie against Atlético Madrid, with Brazilian winger Raphinha ruled out for at least five weeks due to a hamstring injury.

The 29-year-old sustained the injury during Brazil’s international friendly against France at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts on Thursday night. He was forced off in the first half of a 2–1 defeat, having initially signalled discomfort before being withdrawn as a precaution. Subsequent medical assessments conducted by the Brazil national team confirmed a strain in his right hamstring.

According to reports, including ESPN, Raphinha will now return to Barcelona for further evaluation and rehabilitation. However, the nature of the injury suggests that a return before May is highly unlikely, effectively ruling him out of a decisive phase of the season. His absence will be felt not only by Barcelona but also by Brazil, who will be without him for their upcoming friendly against Croatia on 1 April.

The timing of the injury could hardly be worse for the Catalan giants. Barcelona are set to face Atlético Madrid three times in a space of just over two weeks, beginning with a La Liga fixture at the Estadio Metropolitano this weekend. The Spanish side currently sit four points ahead of Real Madrid in the league standings and are aiming to maintain their position at the summit.

This is followed by a high-stakes Champions League quarter-final double-header, with the first leg scheduled for 8 April at Camp Nou and the return fixture on 14 April in Madrid. Should Barcelona progress, they are expected to face either Arsenal or Sporting Lisbon in the semi-finals, with those matches taking place at the end of April and early May—fixtures Raphinha is now almost certain to miss.

Barcelona’s Key Fixtures Without Raphinha

This latest setback marks Raphinha’s third hamstring injury of the season, raising further concerns over his durability during a demanding campaign. Despite his fitness issues, he has remained a crucial attacking outlet, registering 19 goals in 31 appearances across all competitions—an impressive return that underlines his importance to the squad.

Earlier in the season, he missed 13 matches between September and November due to injury, followed by a further spell on the sidelines in January and February, where he was absent for three additional fixtures.

Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick must now reshuffle his attacking options at a pivotal stage of the season. One potential beneficiary is Marcus Rashford, who could be deployed on the left flank. Flick also has alternative solutions within his squad, including Dani Olmo and Fermín López, both of whom have previously been utilised in wide roles. Ferran Torres remains another viable option, while João Cancelo or emerging talent Roony Bardghji could also be considered in adjusted tactical setups.

With the season reaching its decisive phase, Raphinha’s absence represents not just a loss of quality, but a major disruption to Barcelona’s tactical balance and depth.