Raphinha ‘must be devastated and p*ssed off’ – Ex-Barcelona team-mate responds to injury setback

Barcelona’s flying winger Raphinha faces five weeks on the sidelines after sustaining a hamstring injury while on international duty with Brazil, a development described as “very sad” by defensive stalwart Ronald Araujo with the season entering a pivotal stretch.

Former Blaugrana striker Pau Victor, now at Braga, believes the Brazilian will be taking the news particularly hard. “Raphinha’s is one of the most painful losses Barça can have,” Victor told Jijantes. “I haven’t spoken to him, I preferred not to send him any message. Knowing him, he must be devastated and really p*ssed off.”

Despite the emotional toll, Victor is convinced the squad has enough depth to absorb the blow. “Barça have the resources to replace him,” he insisted, pointing to a roster that has already had to navigate the earlier absence of defender Iñigo Martínez. “Surely the season didn’t start as people expected, Iñigo’s loss did a lot of damage. Now I see the team very well. You can ask for little more, they are competing well and I know they are good in the dressing room.”

Victor, who departed Camp Nou in the summer, remains an avid follower of his old club. “I don’t miss a Barça game, I’m a Barça player and I’m not going to miss them. Here they tell me that I am sick because I see them all,” he laughed.

With a series of high-stakes La Liga and Champions League fixtures looming, Barcelona will hope the collective can maintain momentum until their electrifying winger returns.