Raphinha sidelined five weeks after Brazil injury

Raphinha, Barcelona's forward, sustained a right hamstring injury during Brazil's friendly match against France on Thursday in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and will be sidelined for approximately five weeks, the club confirmed Friday.

The 29-year-old was substituted at halftime after experiencing pain in his right thigh. Brazil lost the match 2-1. Medical imaging tests conducted by Brazil's football confederation confirmed a muscle injury in the biceps femoris of his right thigh.

Barcelona announced the diagnosis after Brazil's confederation desconvoked the player. "The first-team player Rafael Dias 'Raphinha' suffers an injury to the biceps femoris of the right thigh, as confirmed by medical tests conducted by the CBF due to discomfort noted during the Brazil-France match," the club said in a statement.

The injury will force Raphinha to miss several key fixtures. He will be absent from Barcelona's La Liga match against Atlético Madrid next week and both legs of the Champions League quarterfinal against the same opponent, scheduled for April 8 and 14. He is also expected to miss La Liga encounters against Espanyol, Celta, and Getafe during his recovery period.

The right thigh has been a recurring problem area for Raphinha throughout the season, having caused him to miss matches on previous occasions. Brazil's confederation also confirmed that Wesley, another player, suffered a similar right hamstring injury during the same match and will also be sidelined.

Brazil's coach Carlo Ancelotti substituted Raphinha at the interval, with Luiz Henrique entering the field in his place. The Brazilian national team is scheduled to play Croatia on Tuesday, March 30, in another match on U.S. soil.

Raphinha is under contract with Barcelona through mid-2028. The club will begin his recovery treatment upon his return to Catalonia.