Major Injury Boost for Barcelona
Barcelona fans can breathe a sigh of relief. Star forward Raphinha has avoided a serious injury after picking up a thigh problem while playing for Brazil.
The 29 year old was substituted at half time during Brazil's 4-2 victory over Australia on Tuesday. He felt discomfort in his right thigh and was quickly pulled out of the squad for Saturday's match against India.
Raphinha flew back to Spain for medical tests on Friday. A club source confirmed those tests backed up the initial assessment from the Brazil national team, stating that Raphinha "has edema in the thigh rather than an injury."
This news brings immense relief to Barcelona. The Spanish giants were very worried on Tuesday when the forward had to come off. Raphinha missed 25 games for both club and country last season because of a hamstring problem in that very same thigh, and there were serious fears that he had suffered a relapse.
Managing His Minutes
Despite the positive test results, Barcelona will manage the forward's playing time with caution ahead of some massive fixtures in October.
Barcelona have enjoyed a perfect start to the season, winning all eight of their games. Raphinha has been a revelation in his new role as a number nine, stepping up after the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres. He has already scored 14 goals in eight matches, including hat tricks in his last two games for the club.
The Spanish side return to action after the international break on October 10. Raphinha could play a part in that game, but coach Hansi Flick will make a final decision in the days leading up to the fixture.
After that, Barcelona travel to face Galatasaray and Real Betis. They then have a massive week where they host Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on October 20, followed by a league clash against Real Madrid on October 25.
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