Barcelona thought they had a clear run into a demanding month. Then Raphinha limped out of Brazil's friendly with Australia, and the captain is now expected to miss the next two games.
He was substituted at half-time with a right thigh injury and withdrew from international duty. Hansi Flick said the tests had shown something. "It's not a serious injury, but we have to be careful because he had three injuries last year, and we have to take care of him," the Barcelona coach said.
A flying start, interrupted
The timing hurts. Raphinha, 29, has scored 14 goals and made three assists this season as Barcelona put together eight successive wins in all competitions. He has mostly played as a false nine since Robert Lewandowski left, and the team have looked close to unstoppable, scoring 36 and conceding eight.
His form was strong enough that leaving him off the 30-man Ballon d'Or shortlist became a talking point. Barcelona top La Liga, five points clear of Atletico Madrid and Real Betis, and thrashed Feyenoord 5-1 in their Champions League opener.
Flick questions the Australia trip
Flick defended Raphinha's wish to play for his country, saying everyone wants to and that giving 100 per cent is Raphinha's mentality. But he also asked whether the trip had been necessary. "We must reflect on whether it was necessary for him to play in Australia, travelling so many thousands of kilometres," he said, adding that Brazil have to choose friendlies and in Europe that is not possible because of the Nations League.
There is a reason for the caution. Last season Raphinha made only 33 appearances because of repeated fitness problems, including a hamstring injury, and he missed Barcelona's Champions League quarter-final defeat by Atletico Madrid. He still scored 21 goals and helped win the league title.
Who steps in
Gabriel Jesus, who arrived from Arsenal on deadline day in September, is the likely cover for Saturday's game against Getafe and the Champions League trip to Galatasaray. Flick has other options, with Anthony Gordon, Dani Olmo and Karim Adeyemi all able to play as a false nine if needed.
Barcelona can equal the 2013-14 record for the best start to a La Liga season if they beat Getafe for an eighth straight league win. The bigger tests follow this month with Paris St-Germain and Real Madrid. Flick will be tempted to rush his captain back, and the club will hope this is a short interruption rather than the start of another long injury story.
Injury context: Raphinha, 29, Barcelona captain. Right thigh injury, withdrew from Brazil duty after being substituted at half-time against Australia. 14 goals and three assists this season. Expected to miss Getafe and Galatasaray. Source: BBC Sport.
0 Comments