Why is Raphinha not playing today for Barcelona against Getafe in 2026-27 La Liga game?

Barcelona returns to La Liga looking to extend its remarkable winning run, but Hansi Flick will have to navigate another important fixture without one of his most influential attacking players. Raphinha’s absence comes at a crucial moment for the Catalan club, which faces a demanding run of domestic and European matches that could shape its season.

The Brazilian forward has been instrumental in Barcelona’s explosive start to the campaign, helping the team establish itself as the early favorite in Spain. With Getafe arriving at the Camp Nou on Saturday, Flick must find a way to maintain his side’s attacking momentum while protecting his squad ahead of several major challenges.

Raphinha has enjoyed an outstanding start to the season, scoring 14 goals in eight appearances across all competitions. His contribution has helped Barcelona score 36 goals while conceding only eight, underlining the attacking power that has driven its early success. The versatile forward has also been used in a more central role, frequently operating as a false nine rather than in his traditional wide position.

His movement, pressing and finishing have given Flick a flexible attacking option capable of creating opportunities and finishing them himself. Without him, the Blaugrana must redistribute that responsibility across its forward line. Lamine Yamal remains a major creative threat, while the absence allows other attacking players to establish themselves in Flick’s plans.

Why is Raphinha not playing against Getafe?

Raphinha will miss Barcelona’s La Liga match against Getafe because of a minor right-thigh muscle problem sustained while representing Brazil during the international break. The forward experienced discomfort during Brazil’s friendly against Australia and was substituted at half-time before returning to Barcelona for further assessment.

Medical examinations reportedly detected muscle swelling but no serious tear. Nevertheless, Flick has decided against risking the 29-year-old, confirming that he will also miss Barcelona’s upcoming Champions League match against Galatasaray. “It’s not a serious injury, but we have to be careful because he had three injuries last year, and we have to take care of him,” Flick explained, according to BBC Sport.

The decision reflects Barcelona’s desire to prevent a relatively minor problem from developing into a longer absence. Raphinha suffered several injuries last season, and his importance to the team makes a cautious recovery particularly sensible.

When could Raphinha return?

The 29-year-old will miss at least the matches against Getafe and Galatasaray, giving him time to recover before Barcelona’s demanding schedule intensifies. Flick is also concerned about the physical demands placed on players during international breaks, particularly when national teams require long-distance travel. “We must reflect on whether it was necessary for him to play in Australia, travelling so many thousands of kilometres,” the German coach said.

“It’s incredible. They have to choose friendly matches, and in Europe it is not possible because of the Nations League.” The Barcelona manager also defended Raphinha’s decision to represent Brazil despite the demanding schedule. “It’s the national team, and everyone wants to play for their national team,” he said, adding that the forward’s mentality was to “always give 100%.”

Barcelona’s immediate priority is ensuring that Raphinha recovers fully rather than setting an unnecessarily aggressive return date. Flick has confirmed that the forward will miss the next two matches, but his availability for subsequent fixtures will depend on his recovery and medical assessment.