Injuries and physical problems have plagued FC Barcelona throughout the entirety of this season. Almost every player available to Xavi has suffered some kind of physical problem, and several starters like Gavi and Ter Stegen are currently out for long terms.
In this regard, Barcelona received some good news yesterday as Pedri was able to make his return to the pitch after suffering an injury. However, there was another piece of bad news awaiting the Barcelona bench on the night.
The Brazilian winger Raphinha was replaced by Lamine Yamal before the first half ended, but initially, it was considered that his injury was not too great a cause for concern. However, in an official statement, Barcelona confirmed that:
“Tests carried out on the first team player Raphinha have revealed that the he has an injury to his biceps femoris muscle in his left thigh. He is unavailable for selection and his recovery will dictate his return.”
SPORT claims that this injury will Keep Raphinha out of action for around one month, and he will miss at least six matches for the club. These matches include the key ties against Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup, Unionistas de Salamanca in the Copa del Rey, and Real Betis, Villarreal, Osasuna, and Alaves in La Liga.
Furthermore, he will also miss the Copa del Rey quarter-finals if the club advances to the next round. Still, if the recovery goes well, he will be available for the first leg of the Champions League game against Napoli. However, it is doubtful whether he will be able to get back to his best for this crucial tie.
This is the second serious injury suffered by the Brazilian this season, as he also had to be sidelined for one month earlier. While the injury itself is not too serious, the timing of this injury is unfortunate both for Xavi and Raphinha, as Barcelona going to go through a decisive stretch of games in the coming weeks.
