Raphinha set to return against his favourite opponent Real Madrid this weekend

Raphinha

The Brazilian is back. Flick included him in the squad for the match against Osasuna, but he didn’t get any playing time. All signs point to him getting minutes this Sunday in El Cl1sico against Real Madrid at Camp Nou.

Raphinha Dias (29) picked up an injury on March 28 while on international duty with Brazil and was sidelined for 36 days. The injury to his left hamstring kept him out of the Champions League quarter-final tie against Atl9tico de Madrid, as well as four other matches.

He returns just in time for the match where Bar7a can secure their 29th league title. They’ll do it if they win or draw against Real Madrid.

And Real Madrid are his favourite victims, as he’s scored seven goals in 12 matches against them. He missed the first leg at the Bernab9u due to a recurrence of a muscle injury he suffered against Oviedo. This time, while he’s unlikely to start, he will be available.

Last season, the Brazilian scored five goals against Madrid. He found the net in the 0-4 LaLiga win at the Bernab9u, bagged a brace in the Spanish Super Cup final (2-5), went scoreless in the Copa del Rey final (3-2 for Bar7a), and scored two more in the league clash at MontjuFc (4-3), where the Catalans sealed the title.

What’s more, if Raphinha features in the four remaining matches this season, he’ll reach 179 appearances in a Bar7a shirt. That would put him in the Top 100 players with the most games played for Barcelona.

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