The club are eligible for compensation for the player’s injury under Fifa’s Club Protection Programme
Barcelona will lay a formal complaint to Fifa after forward Raphinha suffered a hamstring injury while on international duty with Brazil.
The player picked up the injury during Brazil’s 2-1 friendly defeat to France in Foxborough. Medical assessments have confirmed a right hamstring problem that is expected to sideline him for around five weeks.
Sources close to the club say Barcelona are unhappy that the injury occurred during a non-competitive fixture and are planning to lodge a complaint with Fifa. The Catalan club’s frustration is that the injury is a repeat of the defender’s problems this season and comes at a crucial stage of the campaign, with Barcelona preparing for the run-in in La Liga and the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Barcelona are in fact eligible for compensation for the player’s injury under Fifa’s Club Protection Programme, although the club reportedly consider the expected payout of around €144,000 to be insufficient given Raphinha’s importance to the team.
The Brazilian is one of Barcelona’s most effective attackers and head coach Hansi Flick now faces a selection challenge in his absence. Raphinha’s recent performances included a hat-trick against Sevilla and two goals in the demolition of Newcastle United.
The forward is set to miss both legs of the club’s Champions League quarter-final against Atletico Madrid. His absence could also extend into the semi-finals if the team progress, in addition to crucial La Liga matches coming in April as Barcelona attempt to maintain their position at the top of the table.
