Overview
- Both Raphinha and Frenkie de Jong rejoined full-group training and completed the session on Thursday, October 15, signaling they are close to match fitness.
- Raphinha missed the last two Barcelona games after suffering an edema in the back of his right thigh during a Brazil friendly and medical tests in Barcelona ruled out a muscle tear.
- Neither player has yet received formal medical clearance from the club, but both could be considered for the trip to Real Betis on October 17 depending on Flick’s risk assessment.
- Their likely returns shrink Barcelona’s injury list to just Andreas Christensen and Roony Bardghji and relieve rotation pressure that saw Gabriel Jesus and Dani Olmo step in.
- Flick’s selection choice will affect minutes management for upcoming fixtures against PSG on October 20 and Real Madrid on October 25 and could determine whether Barcelona prioritise short-term availability or longer-term freshness.