Barcelona’s international break has brought an early concern from Brisbane: Raphinha is heading back to Catalonia after swelling was detected in his right thigh while with Brazil. The forward will leave the Seleção camp before its planned trip to Kolkata for the friendly against India, with Barça hoping the problem remains minor ahead of the return to domestic action.
Key takeaways
- Raphinha has been released from the Brazil squad as a precaution after initial medical checks identified an oedema in his right thigh.
- He will undergo further examinations at Barcelona’s Ciutat Esportiva after returning from Australia.
- Barcelona hope he can be available for Getafe’s visit on 10 October, scheduled for 18:30.
- The Brazilian has started the season with 14 goals and three assists, making a decisive contribution in seven of eight official matches.
- Gabriel Jesus, Dani Olmo, Fermín López and potentially other wide forwards offer Hansi Flick options if Raphinha cannot start.
Barcelona await a clearer diagnosis
Brazil’s camp had been based in Brisbane before preparing to travel on to India, but the national federation decided not to take a risk with Raphinha after the first tests. The decision allows the Barcelona attacker to begin his recovery work at the club rather than remain involved in the friendly programme.
Further testing in Sant Joan Despí will establish the extent of the issue. Barcelona’s confidence rests on the current assessment that the player is dealing with swelling rather than a more serious muscular injury. If that diagnosis is confirmed, the club believe he has a realistic chance of being ready when Getafe arrive on 10 October.
The timing matters in a season in which Raphinha has become central to Flick’s attack. His return of 14 goals and three assists has given Barcelona a major share of their attacking output, while he has influenced all but one of the team’s eight competitive fixtures.
Flick’s alternatives through the middle
Gabriel Jesus is the most direct replacement should Barcelona need a conventional centre-forward. Signed from Arsenal for €10 million after the club were unable to complete a move for Julián Álvarez, the Brazilian has appeared in four of five official games but has yet to begin one.
His 39 minutes on the pitch have nevertheless produced two goals: a placed finish against Racing and a header versus Feyenoord. Young prospect Hamza is another nominal option, although his first-team experience currently amounts to only four minutes.
Flick can also reshape the front line rather than make a like-for-like change. Before the opening LaLiga match, he had considered whether Raphinha could operate as a number nine and had also weighed using Anthony Gordon centrally. Karim Adeyemi was another possibility, though his pace is more valued in other attacking areas. Those considerations came before Jesus joined the squad.
Olmo and Fermín can each fill the central role in specific game states, particularly when Barcelona want greater movement, intensity and pressure from the front. Neither is a specialist striker, but both can attack space without the ball and arrive in scoring positions.
Lamine Yamal remains the more speculative solution. His most damaging work usually begins from the right wing, where he can confront defenders directly, yet Flick has considered using him in a more central lane. For now, Barcelona’s immediate priority is simpler: establish whether Raphinha’s Brisbane setback will allow their leading attacker to return in time for Getafe.
