FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has decided what to do with star player Raphinha according to MARCA.
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FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has decided what to do with star player Raphinha in October, according to MARCA citing anonymous sources.
The Brazilian has been in fine form to start 2026/2027. Adapting to a new role as a central number 9, Raphinha blasted home 14 goals in all competitions to put Barca five points clear at the top of the La Liga table.
Whenever the 29-year-old heads off to represent his country, however, Culers with PTSD collectively wince at what could happen to their team’s undisputed leader.
They remember too well the events of the spring, when Raphinha departed at halftime during an eventual friendly loss to France for the Selecao and later came back to Barcelona injured.
Yet another hamstring knock meant he was ruled out of a number of important games. Among them were both of the Champions League quarterfinal legs against Atletico Madrid, which collectively ended in an aggregate defeat and early exit for the Catalans.
Once more this week, Raphinha had to come off at the interval of the second of two friendlies Brazil had with Australia, after playing 96 minutes of the first drawn 2-2 thanks to his assist for Rayan at the death.
Raphinha has ensured the Barca fanbase that all is well when asked by a reporter in the bowels of the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
The club is yet to carry out tests at the time of publishing upon his return to the Catalan capital. Yet it is suspected that Raphinha has an edema in the back of the same right thigh he’s had trouble with over the past couple of seasons.
Flick has learned from his mistakes in the FC Barcelona dugout
Cautious of not burning his captain out and risking a deeper relapse, Flick has learned his lesson from last season.
To that end, MARCA says that he’s already preparing a replacement to play up front against Getafe at the Spotify Camp Nou on October 10, which is Barca’s first game back to action following the extended September international break.
The question now is who fills the number 11’s boots. Will Flick go for a natural number 9 like Gabriel Jesus or Hamza Abdelkarim?
One of the wingers, like we’ve seen with Raphinha, could also be converted in either Anthony Gordon or Karim Adeyemi.
We also can’t rule out Dani Olmo, who’s played as a false 9, or CAM positional rival Fermin Lopez who was given that number – Gavi’s usual shirt – for Spain against Croatia this week.
With Barcelona facing a number of top level opponents such as PSG, Real Madrid and much improved outfits like Real Betis this month, Flick has to get his call right.
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