Raphinha out 5 weeks with hamstring injury, misses key Barcelona matches

Barcelona winger Raphinha suffered a right hamstring injury while playing for Brazil in their friendly against France on March 25. The 29-year-old former Leeds United star will be out for approximately five weeks, ruling him out of around eight to nine matches for the Catalan club.

This is a significant blow to Barcelona's season, as they face Atlético Madrid in both LaLiga (April 5) and the Champions League quarter-finals (first leg April 1, second leg April 8). Raphinha will also miss LaLiga fixtures against Espanyol (April 12), Celta Vigo (April 19), Getafe (April 26), and Osasuna (May 3), plus potential UCL semi-final legs if Barcelona advances. His absence removes a key attacking threat during the most critical phase of the campaign.

With five weeks of recovery ahead, Raphinha will miss the entire Champions League quarter-final tie and likely the semi-final if Barcelona progresses. The Brazilian hopes to return in time for Carlo Ancelotti's final 2026 World Cup squad selection in June. For Nigerian Barcelona fans and Afrobeats football followers, this changes the dynamics of the UCL race—Barcelona's odds shorten without their primary winger.

Will Barcelona's depth be enough to overcome Atlético Madrid without Raphinha, or does this injury torpedo their Champions League hopes? Who among Lamine Yamal, Ansu Fati, or Ferran Torres can fill the void on the right wing?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/03/28/raphinha-to-miss-matches-for-barcelona-after-sustaining-an-injury/