FC Barcelona Star Raphinha Is Injured - What Now For The Blaugrana?

FC Barcelona’s April plans have been thrown into turmoil after the club confirmed that star winger Raphinha will be sidelined for five weeks with a right-thigh muscle injury sustained while on international duty.

The 30-year-old Brazilian limped off at halftime of Brazil’s 3-2 loss to France in Foxborough last week, immediately sparking concern across Catalonia. Those fears were cemented on Friday evening when the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) announced that imaging tests had revealed a muscle injury in the posterior region of Raphinha’s right thigh. The CBF statement added that both Raphinha and teammate Wesley had been released from the squad to undergo treatment, with no replacements called in.

Although Raphinha’s entourage initially indicated a four-week lay-off, Barça’s medical staff have set the recovery window at five weeks, ruling the winger out of a critical stretch that includes:

- The Champions League quarter-final first and second legs against Atlético Madrid on 8 and 14 April - A potential semi-final first leg on 28-29 April - La Liga clashes at the Metropolitano (4 April), the derby versus Espanyol (11 April), and pivotal top-of-the-table meetings with Getafe and Celta Vigo

With the league lead over Real Madrid standing at just four points, Hansi Flick must now reshuffle an attack that has relied heavily on Raphinha’s pace and creativity.

The most direct replacement would be January loanee Marcus Rashford, who impressed on the left wing for England against Uruguay on Friday, repeatedly exploiting space behind Barça right-back Ronald Araújo. Should Rashford slot straight into the front line, João Cancelo is expected to remain at left-back, at least until Alejandro Balde completes his own return from injury.

An alternative scheme could see Cancelo pushed higher up the flank, a ploy occasionally used during Xavi Hernández’s tenure, while Fermín López mans the left-sided attacking role, freeing Dani Olmo to operate as the central No. 10 until Gavi regains full fitness.

Saturday’s league visit to Atlético will offer the first glimpse of Flick’s preferred solution, but all signs point to Rashford being handed an immediate audition as Barça weigh up whether to make his loan from Manchester United permanent.

Either way, the next month will test the depth of the league leaders and could go a long way toward deciding whether the Blaugrana finish the season with silverware or regrets.