FC Barcelona have suffered their fair share of injury issues this season, but no one’s absence has affected them more than Raphinha’s. The Brazilian has been missing for nearly the past couple of months.
The South American has been a regular feature of Hansi Flick’s teams since the beginning of last season. Raphinha is not only one of the most potent attacking outlets in the squad, but he is also their most important player defensively.
Raphinha is almost always the one who steps up and leads the press from the front, and, in his absence, the high pressing has taken a beating. The 28-year-old’s importance cannot be understated, and Barcelona fans cannot wait for him to be back.
According to SPORT, Raphinha has sent out a warning on Instagram with the word ‘Loading…‘, signifying that he is closing in on a comeback. There is a good chance the South American will be back at the end of the international break.
Raphinha came very close to returning ahead of El Clásico and even took part in group training. However, he still felt discomfort and had to pull out of a game that Barcelona eventually lost to their arch rivals.
Ahead of big games like the one against Athletic Bilbao and then Chelsea, the return of Raphinha would be as good as a new signing for Hansi Flick’s team. The club captain will be raring to go and make a telling impact, especially at Stamford Bridge.
Let us hope Raphinha can return in peak form and maintain his fitness in the months to come.