Raphinha Injury Sparks Barcelona Fury as FIFA Compensation Falls Short

Barcelona’s anger has reached boiling point after winger Raphinha sustained a hamstring injury during Brazil’s 2026 World Cup preparation friendly against France in Boston, with the Catalan giants set to receive only around $155,000 under FIFA’s Club Protection Program.

The 29-year-old, who has scored 19 goals and provided eight assists in 31 matches this season, will miss five to seven La Liga fixtures and both legs of the Champions League quarter-final against Atlético Madrid, and could sit out the first leg of a potential semi-final. Medical staff estimate a five-week lay-off, ruling him out until late April.

Barcelona, already critical of long-distance friendlies wedged into an overloaded calendar, privately branded the compensation “insufficient and bizarre.” Under FIFA rules, clubs receive $22,300 per day once a player is sidelined for more than 28 consecutive days; with Raphinha expected to return around 28-29 April, the club will collect barely six days of payments.

The injury, Raphinha’s third hamstring problem this campaign after setbacks in September and October, forces coach Hansi Flick to reshuffle his attack and could open the door for on-loan forward Marcus Rashford to secure a permanent move. Barcelona argue that commercial fixtures staged across the Atlantic weeks before decisive European ties place disproportionate risk on players and undermine clubs’ sporting ambitions.

Barcelona’s statement confirmed the player is travelling back to Spain to begin rehabilitation, while Brazil continues its preparations for the 2026 World Cup without one of its most influential wingers.