Raphinha’s injury recovery takes center stage for Barcelona ahead of El Clasico vs. Real Madrid

On Sunday, October 26, Real Madrid and Barcelona will meet in the first Clasico of the 2025–26 season. Given the magnitude of the matchup, Los Blaugranas are hoping to have most of their stars available — and right now, Raphinha’s status is one of the most closely watched storylines.

The Brazilian winger suffered a right hamstring injury nearly a month ago during Barcelona’s September 25 match against Real Oviedo on Matchday 6 of La Liga. The injury sidelined him for the following six games, including two in the UEFA Champions League, and also kept him out of action for Brazil during the last international break.

Now, just days before the clash with Real Madrid, there’s positive news for Los Blaugranas. According to reports from Sport and Marca, Raphinha trained alongside his teammates on Wednesday and reportedly left a strong impression on the coaching staff — increasing his chances of featuring in Sunday’s El Clasico.

Initially, his recovery timeline was set at three weeks, which pointed to a mid-October return. However, that timeline was extended slightly to ensure the player made a full recovery — especially considering the importance of the upcoming match against Real Madrid.

Barcelona hint at Raphinha’s return

As news of Raphinha’s progress lifts fan hopes ahead of the showdown with Real Madrid, Barcelona themselves have dropped subtle hints. On Wednesday, the club’s official X account posted a photo of the Brazilian winger with a short caption: “Raphinha. Soon.”

While that doesn’t confirm his availability for El Clasico, it’s certainly a positive sign that his recovery is on track and that his return to the squad — after nearly a month out — is imminent.

“We hope he’s fit for El Clasico, that’s the plan. Sometimes there are setbacks in the recovery process, but things are going well,” Hansi Flick said a few days ago when asked about Raphinha’s status. And it looks like everything is going according to plan.

Barcelona’s injury concerns ahead of Real Madrid match

Barcelona have had to deal with several injuries in recent weeks, raising questions about the lineup Hansi Flick will be able to field at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu against Real Madrid. It’s already confirmed that Robert Lewandowski will miss the match due to an injury sustained during the FIFA break with Poland.

Ferran Torres, who has also just recovered from injury and did not play a single minute against Olympiacos on Tuesday, could step in at center forward. However, Marcus Rashford is the more likely option to lead the line — even if it’s not his preferred position. If Rashford does start up top, it could open the door for Raphinha to slot in as the left winger, with Lamine Yamal on the opposite flank.