International break claims its first victim as Barcelona attacking star suffers thigh discomfort – Report | OneFootball

FC Barcelona have their first real international break scare, and it concerns one of the players Flick can least afford to lose. Raphinha was forced off at half-time in Brazil’s friendly against France after feeling discomfort in his right thigh, immediately raising concern back in Catalonia.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the Barca attacker will undergo medical tests on Friday to determine whether there is an actual injury or whether the issue is limited to discomfort. The report says he left the match at the interval after feeling pain in the right leg during the game at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts.

At this stage, the key point is uncertainty. There is no confirmed injury yet, but the timing alone is enough to make this feel serious from a Barcelona perspective. That is because Flick is heading into one of the toughest stretches of the season.

Barca are facing a triple meeting with Atletico Madrid after the international break, first in La Liga and then across the Champions League quarter-final tie. Losing Raphinha for any part of that sequence would be a major blow.

And it would not just be about numbers in attack. Raphinha has become one of the players who gives this Barca side rhythm, edge and reliability in big matches. He is not simply another forward who can be rotated out without changing the structure of the team.

The most important thing is that the Brazilian is the one who leads the charge in terms of the press. Raphinha is extremely intense, pushes forward and also eggs the team on. Flick will be hoping that the injury is nothing serious.

International friendlies have never been kind to Barcelona and it has not started well for them so far this time around. The club will be hoping that this injury is not serious and that he returns to action as soon as possible.