Raphinha exits with injury at half-time with Brazil, Barcelona holds its breath

Raphinha left the field at half-time during the friendly match Australia-Brazil (2-4) played on Tuesday at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, suffering from a right leg muscle strain. The Brazilian Football Confederation confirmed that the substitution, decided by Carlo Ancelotti, was indeed physical in nature, immediately triggering concern at FC Barcelona.

The Brazilian winger had nevertheless delivered a convincing first half, converting a penalty in the 45th minute to make it 2-0. This goal would remain his only contribution of the evening: once in the dressing room, he did not return to the pitch.

According to Marca, Raphinha will undergo medical examinations in the coming hours to assess the severity of the injury. Depending on the results, he will either be kept in the Brazilian squad for the next friendly match against India on Saturday, or sent back to Catalonia early.

The stakes are high for Barcelona. Repositioned as a number nine by Hansi Flick following Robert Lewandowski’s departure this summer, Raphinha has proven decisive beyond all expectations: in just eight matches since the start of the season, he has scored fourteen goals across all competitions. An efficiency that makes him, like Lamine Yamal, one of the indispensable offensive pillars of the blaugrana club.

A prolonged absence would be a severe blow to a Barcelona team that relies heavily on his performances to fuel its football.