Barcelona face a major blow ahead of this weekend’s El Clasico as Raphinha has been ruled out due to a fresh injury setback. The Brazilian winger, one of Hansi Flick’s key players and a club captain, left training on Thursday afternoon after experiencing new physical issues, adding to his ongoing injury struggles.
Raphinha had been sidelined since late September with a hamstring problem but returned to full training earlier this week. Initially, it was expected he would be available to face league leaders Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, as Barcelona looked to secure a fourth consecutive victory over their historic rivals.
Meanwhile, the 28-year-old’s absence is a significant loss for the Catalan side. Last season, he contributed to 48 goals in 50 appearances across La Liga and the Champions League, underscoring his importance to the team’s attack. Marcus Rashford has filled in during Raphinha’s absence, but it hasn’t been easy to replace the Brazilian’s productivity and impact.
In addition to Raphinha, Barcelona are dealing with multiple injuries ahead of the showdown. Gavi, Robert Lewandowski, Joan Garcia, Dani Olmo, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen are all unavailable, while Jules Kounde remains a doubt after missing two training sessions due to a knock, according to Madrid Universal.
Carvajal, Trent set to return for Los Blancos
Real Madrid, by contrast, have fewer injury concerns. Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba will miss the clash, but Dani Carvajal, Dani Ceballos, Dean Huijsen, and Trent Alexander-Arnold are expected to be fit and available for selection.
The stakes are high, with Barcelona sitting just two points behind Real Madrid at the top of La Liga ahead of Sunday’s grudge match in the Spanish capital. The intensity of the fixture has been further fueled by Lamine Yamal, who recently suggested that Real Madrid relies on refereeing decisions, adding an extra layer of tension to an already high-profile encounter.
With key players missing, Barcelona will have to adjust their lineup and tactics if they are to challenge the league leaders and maintain their momentum in what promises to be a fiercely contested El Clasico.
