Raphinha is expected to be available for the first time since his March injury when Barcelona face Real Madrid in LaLiga Matchday 35 on May 10 at Spotify Camp Nou, a game that could put the title within reach. The 29-year-old missed Champions League matches while recovering after being hurt in Brazil's friendlies.
His return matters because Barcelona are playing through a gap created by Lamine Yamal’s left hamstring injury on April 22 against Celta de Vigo, and the 18-year-old will miss the rest of the season. Raphinha was viewed as the natural option on the right wing while Yamal is out, and the timing gives Barcelona a direct chance to finish the job. Only a loss would keep them from the LaLiga title.
Raphinha tried to lower expectations around his own comeback and the role he may be asked to fill. “If I play on the right, don’t expect anything special because I’m not Lamine. He’s a star,” he said. He added that the matchup “could be a good match” and said he is “looking to get back to my best form” while still feeling “a little off.”
The stakes are still unusually sharp for a match that could decide the championship. Raphinha said Barcelona expect a hard night because Real Madrid still have a mathematical chance of winning LaLiga, warning that they will not give anything away. If Barcelona win, he said, they will celebrate the league title.
There is also a longer view here. Raphinha said he sees himself at Barcelona for many years, noting that his contract runs until 2028 and that he is open if the club wants to talk. For a player coming back from injury at a moment when the title can be sealed and a key teammate is out for the season, that is as clear a statement of intent as Barcelona could want.
