Barcelona’s preparations for their upcoming La Liga clash with Valencia have been far from smooth, with Hansi Flick facing a delicate balancing act after the international break.
The Catalan side return to action with the Champions League opener against Newcastle United just days away, meaning player fitness is under intense scrutiny at the training ground.
For European-based South American players, the disruption is even greater, with long-distance travel and harsh playing conditions often leaving them physically drained before rejoining their clubs.
It is this very scenario that has left Barcelona frustrated, with key figures returning fatigued despite matches that carried little significance for their national teams.
According to SPORT, Raphinha has been left furious after how Brazil managed his workload during the international window.
Despite Brazil having already secured qualification for the FIFA World Cup months ago, the Barcelona captain was still heavily involved in fixtures that many considered meaningless.
The winger played 79 minutes against Chile before being brought on for the final 30 minutes against Bolivia, a match staged at a staggering 4,100 metres above sea level in freezing six-degree conditions.
The final game has particularly angered Raphinha, who feels the physical demands were unnecessary given the circumstances and the hostile environment he had to endure.
“From the moment a team makes you play at 4,000 meters above sea level in order to win the match, I think that’s quite detrimental to other teams,” he told reporters after the clash, as per SPORT.
Brazil were already losing when he entered the pitch, but even defeat would not have changed their qualification status, highlighting how needless his involvement truly was.
The extended travel, altitude challenges and lack of recovery time mean Flick must now carefully assess whether to use the winger against Valencia or save him for the Champions League.
It was reported that Flick may rest Raphinha and instead start Marcus Rashford.
With Ronald Araujo also returning from a demanding stint with Uruguay, Barcelona’s defensive and attacking balance could be affected, placing further emphasis on squad rotation.
For Raphinha, the frustration lies not only in the immediate exhaustion but in the bigger picture, as the winger has been a central figure in Barcelona’s domestic campaign and needed rest ahead of crucial fixtures.
Flick now faces a tough decision, with managing his captain’s anger and fatigue proving just as important as preparing for the challenges ahead.
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