Barcelona president Joan Laporta called the injury suffered by Raphinha in the friendly between Brazil and France, played in Massachusetts, in the United States, last week a “shame.” The striker felt a problem with the hamstring of his right thigh and is expected to be out for five weeks.
“It’s revolting that in a friendly game one of your best players gets injured,” said Laporta. The director criticized FIFA (International Football Federation) for the overloaded calendar and stated that the entity should take into account the competitions of the big clubs when scheduling national team match dates.
Laporta also defended Raphinha from criticism. “You cannot transfer responsibility to the player. They are professionals, they play for their country and they give everything,” he said.
For the president, the problem is structural and has been getting worse — he claims to have been fighting for a less congested calendar since his first term at the club.
The injury comes at a decisive moment for Barcelona. Raphinha will not be available for the two Champions League quarter-final games against Atlético de Madrid, scheduled for April 8 and 14. If the Catalan team advances, its presence will also be uncertain in the first duel of the semifinals, scheduled for the end of April.
It is the third time this season that the Brazilian has injured the same muscle. With his absence, Marcus Rashford should gain space. The Englishman, who played for Manchester United, scored 10 goals and provided 13 assists in 39 games for the club.
