Barcelona travels to the Metropolitano on Wednesday in a win-or-bust Copa del Rey semifinal second leg against rivals Atletico Madrid, with star winger Raphinha available again after missing the previous two games.
The Brazilian missed Barça’s 3-0 victory over Osasuna and was on the bench against Girona because of what manager Hansi Flick called “discomfort.”
However, according to reports from Diario Sport, the 27-year-old is fully fit and is available to play.
Raphinha was absent because of “extreme fatigue” after his grueling international work for Brazil, which included a long-distance trip and two tough games against Argentina and Colombia.
The mental anguish of Brazil’s loss to their arch-rivals Argentina—a game in which Raphinha had incited controversy with pre-match comments—also kept him up late.
But with the Copa del Rey final looming, his return is a priceless morale booster for Flick’s squad.
The initial Montjuic leg concluded in a heart-stopping 4-4 tie, setting the stage for a winner-takes-all encounter in Madrid.
Raphinha will be tasked with being paired with Robert Lewandowski and youngster Lamine Yamal in attack as a deadly front three capable of exposing the defensive vulnerabilities of Atletico.
Pedri and Frenkie de Jong will be the midfield marauders, with Gavi tasked with playing the advanced role that would otherwise be occupied by injured Dani Olmo.
Flick believes this game is crucial in establishing the tone for the rest of Barcelona’s season.
Winning would not just book a ticket to the Copa del Rey final but also give them the kind of momentum that they need while pursuing La Liga and Champions League titles.
Having Raphinha back in the fold, the Blaugrana will believe they can outfire Atletico and move a step closer to titles.
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