When Barcelona steps onto the pitch at the Jan Breydel Stadium to face Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League, one key name will be missing from the lineup: Raphinha. The Brazilian winger, who has long been one of Hansi Flick’s most trusted attacking outlets, will not feature in the squad for the fourth match of the league phase.
The Blaugrana enters this encounter in strong but cautious form. Two wins and one defeat have earned them six points in the new league-format Champions League, placing them in contention for a Top 8 finish. Their last European outing, a tight 2-1 loss to Paris Saint-Germain, served as a wake-up call to Flick’s team. Since then, victories over Newcastle and Olympiacos have restored confidence.
Meanwhile, Club Brugge finds itself in a fight to survive. The Belgian side sits in 20th place after one win and two defeats, including a bruising 4-0 loss to Bayern Munich. Yet at home, the Blue-Black has been nothing short of formidable, unbeaten in seven matches across all competitions.
For Barcelona, this match represents a chance to steady their rhythm amid a congested calendar. But the absence of several stars — Pedri, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Gavi, and Raphinha — means Flick will once again rely on youth and improvisation.
The reason behind Raphinha’s absence
According to Cadena SER, Raphinha suffered a serious setback in training just before El Clasico, reigniting the hamstring injury that first struck him in September against Real Oviedo. The incident unfolded dramatically behind the scenes.
The winger had returned to full training on October 22, only to feel a slight twinge in his leg the following day. Medical staff initially dismissed it as minor, but during his third session back, disaster struck — a new muscle tear forced him to stop immediately. As the report suggested, “Hansi Flick was furious after learning of the relapse and demanded explanations from the medical team.”
It was a crushing blow for both coach and player. The Brazilian had been scheduled to start against Real Madrid in the Clasico, a match Barcelona went on to lose 2-1. Flick, sources claim, “views Raphinha as crucial to his system — on the same level of importance as Pedri and Lamine Yamal, because of his hunger, intensity, and leadership.”
Raphinha of FC Barcelona celebrates scoring a goal.
When is he expected to return?
Following the relapse, Barcelona adopted a far more cautious approach to the Brazilian’s recovery. According to Sport, the 28-year-old winger is now “entering the final stages of rehabilitation” and could rejoin full training in the coming days. While he will not play in Bruges, the expectation is that he might return after the international break, possibly against Celta Vigo. “He’s in the final stretch of recovery,” a club insider told Sport. “He’s responding well, but no risks will be taken this time.”
Even Brazil’s national team has taken note. Head coach Carlo Ancelotti opted to leave Raphinha out of the Selecao’s squad for the November fixtures, allowing the player to continue his recovery in Spain. For the Catalan outfit, this decision was welcome news — a chance to manage his return without external pressure.
