Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick reveals Raphinha plan as in-form attacker is ruled out of action

By Matt Law | 09 Oct 2026 12:46, Last updated: 09 Oct 2026 12:48

Flick reveals Raphinha plan as Barca attacker is ruled out of action

Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has revealed that Raphinha will sit out the team's next two matches, with the club being cautious when it comes to the forward.

Raphinha was substituted at the interval of Brazil's international friendly with Australia at the end of September due to a thigh injury.

Initial examinations from Brazil ruled out a serious problem, and that was confirmed by Barcelona when the Catalan outfit ran their own tests.

Raphinha had been expected to be available for Saturday's La Liga clash against Getafe, but Flick has revealed that the forward will sit out the team's next two games, including next week's Champions League fixture against Galatasaray, as a precaution.

Raphinha will miss Barcelona's next two matches

Flick has ruled out a long-term issue, but previous issues for Raphinha in that area of his body have led to the decision being made.

"The medical tests have detected a problem. It's not a serious injury, but it requires us to act with caution," Flick told reporters during his press conference.

"Last season he suffered several recurrent injuries in the same area, I think there were three, so we must take care of him and avoid any risk. For that reason, he will not be available for tomorrow's match nor for the clash against Galatasaray in Istanbul."

The 29-year-old had four separate issues with his right thigh during the 2025-26 campaign, with his longest absence proving to be between September 2025 and November 2025.

Initially, there had been fears that Raphinha had suffered a similar problem which could have led to another lengthy spell on the sidelines.

When will Raphinha be back on the field?

However, as it stands, the plan is for Raphinha to return against Real Betis on October 17.

Raphinha has had an incredible start to the season for Barcelona, scoring 14 goals and registering three assists in eight appearances in all competitions.

As a result, his absence will be a major blow for a Barcelona side that have been victorious in all eight of their matches at the start of the 2026-27 campaign.