Raphinha suffers right hamstring injury, Barcelona say at least five weeks out | OneFootball

Raphinha has sustained a right hamstring injury and faces at least five weeks out, the club said in a statement. The Barcelona forward was taken off at half-time of Brazil’s friendly against France in the United States after a muscle problem.

Medical checks on Friday confirmed damage to his biceps femoris. The lay-off is set to rule him out of the league trip to Atlético Madrid on 4 April and the Champions League quarter-final on 8 and 14 April, with any semi-final also in doubt.

He was later withdrawn from the Brazil squad for the final pre-World Cup friendly against Croatia and allowed to return to Barcelona. The same right hamstring has troubled him this season.

He has missed 13 of 46 Barcelona matches in this campaign, with the longest absence, about two months, stemming from an injury in Oviedo in September. His recovery was bumpy, with two relapses, and his eagerness to return did not help, while medical and physiotherapy staff drew internal criticism.

He came back on 22 November as the Camp Nou reopened against Athletic. A late-January overload against Elche cost him three more games, but he then rediscovered rhythm, scoring three against Sevilla and a brace versus Newcastle. If the absence were four weeks he could make the Real Madrid game around 10 May, though his sharpness would be uncertain, and this setback is a blow to Barcelona’s season.

Source: Superdeporte