Barcelona Star Raphinha Sidelined: The Real Reason Behind His Absence Against Real Sociedad
Raphinha has been absolutely brilliant since early 2026, however Barcelona will be missing their spectacular Brazilian winger when they face Real Sociedad on Sunday evening.
The Brazilian played a crucial role in Barcelona securing their first silverware of the season just one week ago. Raphinha built upon his double in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final with another two goals, including the decisive strike in the final against Real Madrid.
Barcelona have returned to La Liga action seeking to extend their lead to four points over Los Blancos at the top of the table as they continue defending their title. Additionally, should Barcelona overcome Real Sociedad, they would achieve 12 consecutive victories across all tournaments, marking the second-longest winning run in the club's history.
However, the journey to San Sebastián was always going to present challenges. Now, without Raphinha available, the task becomes considerably more demanding.
Why Is Raphinha Not Playing Against Real Sociedad?
Why Is Raphinha Not Playing Against Real Sociedad?
Barcelona confirmed in the early morning hours of Sunday that Raphinha will "miss the match against Real Sociedad as a precautionary measure due to a minor injury to his right thigh." The Brazilian didn't make the trip with Hansi Flick's team, remaining in Barcelona for medical treatment.
This represents a major setback for the Catalans given they remain unbeaten in La Liga this season whenever Raphinha participates in matches. His comeback from a hamstring problem sustained earlier in the campaign also aligned with Barcelona's record-breaking winning sequence.
Across four matches in 2026, Raphinha has accumulated six goal involvements, performing at the standard that earned him fifth place in the 2025 Ballon d'Or rankings. Flick must determine how to ensure his team maintains momentum without the Brazilian, a challenge that troubled them earlier this season.
In Raphinha's absence, Dani Olmo will join the starting lineup, with Fermín López shifting to the left flank to fill the Brazilian's typical position in Flick's formation.
When Will Raphinha Return for Barcelona?
When Will Raphinha Return for Barcelona?
Barcelona haven't provided a specific timeframe for Raphinha's comeback, but considering his absence from the Real Sociedad fixture is preventative, he's not anticipated to be sidelined for an extended period.
It would be reasonable to expect Raphinha's return when Barcelona visit Slavia Prague in the Champions League on Wednesday. His involvement in the midweek fixture is crucial since Lamine Yamal will be unavailable due to a suspension from yellow card accumulation.
Nevertheless, Flick has been extremely careful when bringing players back from injuries in recent months, so Raphinha is only likely to feature on Wednesday if he's completely recovered from the thigh problem.
Should the German manager choose to rest Raphinha for a consecutive match, then the Brazilian would definitely be ready when Barcelona welcome Real Oviedo on Jan. 25.