Barcelona will have Raphinha available for Saturday’s visit to Real Betis, but Hansi Flick is wary of rushing the forward back into action with Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid to come next week.
The Brazil international has missed Barcelona’s last two matches after suffering a hamstring injury on international duty. He returned to training on Thursday and could feature against a Betis side who have won all four of their home games in La Liga this season.
“When you ask him, he will be ready from the beginning,” Flick said on Friday when asked whether Raphinha could start.
“For me, it’s step by step. [On Thursday,] he trained; he’s doing good. We have a lot of games, so we have to manage it. The good thing is that he’s available.”
Raphinha had scored 14 goals in eight appearances for Barcelona while playing as a striker before his injury. His return comes at an important point in the campaign, with the league leaders travelling to PSG in the Champions League on Tuesday before hosting Real Madrid in the first clásico of the season next weekend.
Tomorrow we’re up against a great team. https://t.co/Bw5wUbf8i6
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 17, 2026
Flick also has Frenkie de Jong available again after the midfielder missed the start of the season with a knee problem. The Netherlands international could make his first appearance of the campaign, although Barcelona’s manager stopped short of confirming whether he would start.
“Everyone knows he is a top player,” Flick said. “I am happy he is back. It gives us another option more.
“We have to see how it works, the evolution after the injury. It seems everything is good; the training and the quality is good. I think he’s ready to play some minutes.”
Roony Bardghji and Andreas Christensen remain sidelined, leaving Barcelona close to having a fully fit squad as they prepare for three demanding fixtures.
Flick must also decide how to handle Lamine Yamal’s workload. The teenager has started all 14 of Barcelona’s matches for club and country this season and has contributed eight goals and nine assists in 10 appearances for the Spanish champions.
The Barcelona manager acknowledged that the forward’s minutes need to be managed, but admitted that his form makes it difficult to leave him out.
“It’s Lamine, he’s a special player,” Flick said. “I know we have to manage his minutes, but for Lamine the most important thing is he enjoys playing football.
“At the moment, it’s like this and I don’t want to interrupt this situation. But I know we have to manage his minutes.”
Barcelona have won all 10 of their matches this season, but their next opponents represent a significant test. Betis are third in La Liga and have also won their opening two Champions League games. Their home victories include a win against Real Madrid.
Flick praised the progress made by Manuel Pellegrini’s side and warned that Barcelona could not afford to be distracted by the prospect of facing PSG and Madrid.
“What is important for us is Betis,” he said. “They are a great side, unbeaten at home, and have fantastic players in the final third, where they score many goals.
“They are one of the best teams. The improvement in recent years is amazing. Pellegrini has done a fantastic job.
“We only focus on the next game. Of course, these three games are very big, it’s huge to play against these teams, but we are focused on what we can do this weekend.”
