Barcelona is in a tense situation following the injury of Raphinha, a crucial player in Hansi Flick's tactical scheme, during a Brazil friendly prior to the 2026 World Cup. The injury, sustained in a match against France in the United States, comes at a critical time in the season for the Catalan club.

The club regrets the loss of the player, especially in the decisive weeks of the season, where important competitions are being played. The concern focuses on how to face the next matches without one of their most influential attackers.

Barcelona argues that national team friendly matches, especially those involving long trips, carry risks that are not justified by their sporting relevance. The club's management believes that the calendar is overloaded and that international friendlies, organized outside their control, harm the players.

While Brazil used the friendly as preparation for the World Cup, Barcelona must deal with the consequences at club level, feeling that once again, they have paid the price for poorly scheduled matches.

Although FIFA has activated its Club Protection Program, Barcelona has privately stated that the compensation offered is not enough to mitigate the sporting damage. According to the club, the compensation amounts to approximately $155,000, an amount they consider disproportionate to the magnitude of the loss.

Raphinha's injury is a hard blow for the team, which must now reorganize its strategies and face the next matches without one of its pillars.

Raphinha suffered a right thigh hamstring injury during the friendly against France in Boston, which immediately triggered concern within Barcelona's medical department. The club reported that the player would return to Barcelona for treatment and that the estimated recovery time is five weeks.

This absence means that the player will miss between five and seven La Liga matches and both legs of the Champions League quarter-finals against Atletico Madrid, with the possibility of also missing the first leg of a semi-final.

This is the player's third hamstring injury of the season, following previous problems in September and October. With 19 goals and eight assists in 31 matches, Raphinha had established himself as one of the most important players for Hanis Flick.

His absence now transfers responsibilities to Marcus Rashford, who could use this window to strengthen his position on the team.

Barcelona's irritation, as Mundo Deportivo reveals, stems from the perception that these friendlies, scheduled by national federations and often driven by commercial interests, put players at unnecessary risk. The club has argued privately that sending key players across the Atlantic weeks before crucial Champions League ties is almost irresponsible.

The match calendar, they say, is simply too compact to absorb such losses.

Under FIFA's Club Protection Program, compensation is triggered when a player misses more than 28 days after being injured during an international match. In Raphinha's case, Barcelona will be eligible for payments starting April 23. From that day on, they will receive $22,300 daily until the player is medically cleared, a system that theoretically covers absences of up to 365 days.

However, since the 29-year-old forward is expected to return around April 28 or 29, Barcelona's total payout will be approximately $155,000. This, according to club sources who spoke to Sport, is considered "insufficient and bizarre," considering the volume of matches he will miss and the competitive weight of those matches.