During Friday’s victory over Sevilla, Barcelona encountered yet another injury setback as Raphinha sustained a hamstring injury. This unfortunate development adds him to the list of sidelined players, which already includes midfield duo Pedri and Frenkie de Jong. Raphinha is expected to be sidelined for a duration of three to four weeks.
Raphinha had been occupying the role of Barcelona’s primary right-winger in recent matches, although during the Sevilla match, he was positioned centrally. This injury comes as a substantial setback for head coach Xavi Hernandez. However, as reported by MD, Xavi does have a variety of options at his disposal to fill the void left by the Brazilian.
Lamine Yamal was entrusted with the right-wing position in the match against Sevilla, and his performance this season has been nothing short of excellent. He proves to be a more than capable replacement, although Xavi is conscious of managing his playing time effectively.
Ferran Torres is another option for the right-wing role, having displayed good form this season. Much like Lamine Yamal, he possesses the qualities necessary to step into Raphinha’s shoes during his absence.
Fermin Lopez stepped in for Raphinha during the Sevilla match and delivered an impressive performance at just 20 years old. Xavi can place confidence in Fermin’s abilities moving forward and may consider utilizing him.
In addition, if the need arises, Joao Cancelo can be deployed in an advanced role, with options like Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde, and Sergi Roberto available for the right-back position.
The depth of Barcelona’s squad, built over the past 12-15 months, is a testament to their resilience. Even with key players like Pedri, de Jong, and now Raphinha unavailable, they still possess a formidable squad. However, the absence of these players is likely to be keenly felt.