In-form Raphinha has set alarm bells ringing at Barcelona after being substituted with a thigh problem in Brazil’s 4-2 friendly win over Australia on Tuesday in Brisbane. The Brazilian forward scored a penalty on the stroke of halftime but did not make it out for the second period, with Real Madrid’s Endrick taking his place. The Brazilian Football Confederation confirmed Raphinha was replaced because of ‘discomfort in his right thigh,’ but did not specify whether the issue involved his hamstring, quadriceps, adductors or another part of the thigh. Barcelona face a nervous wait to see how severe the problem is and will hope it is unrelated to the fitness troubles the player had last season. Raphinha missed 25 games for club and country during the 2025-26 campaign due to various hamstring injuries. Brazil’s win over Australia was their second match against the Socceroos in four days, with the first meeting between the two teams ending 1-1 last Friday in Townsville. Raphinha’s 45th-minute penalty had drawn Carlo Ancelotti’s side level at 2-2 after goals from Alessandro Circati and Connor Metcalfe had cancelled out Vanderson’s early opener. Second half efforts from Bruno Guimarães and Vinícius Júnior, from the spot, sealed the win for Brazil. The Seleção still have one more game to come during the international break, against India in Kolkata on Saturday. Raphinha, 29, has started the new season in stunning form after being reconverted to a No. 9 by Barça coach Hansi Flick following the summer exits of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres. He scored back-to-back LaLiga hat-tricks heading into the international break, taking his goal tally for the season to 14 in just eight appearances in all competitions.
Source: ESPN Soccer
