Barcelona Star Raphinha Sidelined for Five Weeks After Injury in Brazil Friendly

Raphinha suffered a biceps femoris injury to his right thigh during Brazil's 1-2 friendly defeat against France on March 26, 2026, in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and will be sidelined for approximately five weeks, FC Barcelona confirmed. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) announced the injury after imaging tests carried out on Friday confirmed the muscle damage. Barcelona stated in an official release that Raphinha has returned to the Catalan club to begin treatment. The five-week recovery timeline means the winger will miss some of the most consequential fixtures of Barcelona's season, including the Champions League quarterfinals against Atlético de Madrid. Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed that Raphinha was substituted at halftime after feeling discomfort at the end of the first half.

„The first-team player Rafael Dias 'Raphinha' suffers an injury to the biceps femoris of the right thigh, as confirmed by the medical tests carried out on him by the CBF following the discomfort he felt during the Brazil-France match” — FC Barcelona via La Razón

Raphinha had already suffered a similar injury to the same muscle — the biceps femoris of the right thigh — in September 2025, when he sustained the damage in a match in Oviedo. That injury kept him out of action for approximately two months, and his return was complicated by two relapses. He then suffered an overload against Elche at the end of January 2026, missing three further matches before regaining fitness ahead of the international break.

Champions League quarterfinals against Atlético now in doubt Barcelona face Atlético de Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinals on April 8 and April 14, and Raphinha is expected to miss both legs. According to reports, a five-week absence would keep him out until the beginning of May, meaning he would also likely miss the first leg of a potential semifinal, scheduled for April 25, and possibly the second leg on May 2. In La Liga, the forward is set to miss fixtures against Espanyol, Celta, and Getafe at minimum. Barcelona currently lead La Liga by four points ahead of Real Madrid, making Raphinha's absence a significant blow at a decisive stage of the campaign. Manager Hansi Flick loses one of his key players and a team captain at the worst possible moment. 5 (weeks) — Raphinha's estimated recovery time after biceps femoris tear This is the second time this season that the same muscle has ended Raphinha's involvement in a run of critical matches, with the earlier injury in September having already cost him nearly two months of competition.

Raphinha's season numbers highlight the scale of Barcelona's loss Raphinha had been in strong form before the injury, registering 11 (goals) — Raphinha's La Liga goals scored this season and three assists in La Liga this season, according to reports. The winger had found consistency in recent weeks after a campaign repeatedly disrupted by physical setbacks, having missed 13 of 46 matches across all competitions. Hansi Flick has publicly regarded Raphinha as the player who sets the tempo of Barcelona's pressing game and the closest figure to a leader within the squad. The timing of the injury, sustained during a FIFA international break friendly, adds frustration for Barcelona, as the match carried no competitive stakes for the club. El Periódico reported that Barcelona supporters and club officials had feared the worst from the moment Raphinha did not return for the second half in Foxborough.

Wesley also injured as Brazil's squad depth takes further hits AS Roma right-back Wesley also sustained a right thigh muscle injury in the same match against France and has been ruled out of Brazil's next friendly against Croatia, scheduled for Tuesday. Wesley was on the field until the 71st minute before being replaced by Ibanez, according to the CBF's medical report. The CBF confirmed that both players underwent imaging tests on Friday which confirmed the muscle injuries. Brazil's squad had already been depleted before the France match, with goalkeeper Alisson, defender Alex Sandro, defender Gabriel Magalhães, and midfielder Bruno Guimarães among those absent from the CBF call-up. Marquinhos, who sat out the France match with hip pain, is expected to return for the Croatia fixture. The CBF announced the call-up of Vitor Reis from Girona to bolster the squad, and indicated that Danilo is the favorite to fill the right-back position vacated by Wesley, while Luiz Henrique — who replaced Raphinha at halftime against France — may take the forward's spot. Brazil's Seleção lost the friendly against France 1-2, with the result adding to a difficult week for the squad's preparations ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

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