Barcelona coach Hansi Flick don tok say Raphinha go miss di Spanish champions upcoming games against Getafe and Galatasaray afta di forward return from Brazil duty with hamstring problem.
Raphinha, wey don score 14 goals in eight Barça appearances dis season, pick up di knock as Seleção beat Australia 4-2 for friendly last week. Sources tell ESPN say di injury no serious, and di forward go dey available for big matches against Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid later dis month, but di Catalan club no wan take risk.
Flick confirm for news conference before Saturday LaLiga fixture against Getafe at Spotify Camp Nou say di scan show something. ‘It’s not a big injury, but we have to take care about this,’ Flick tok. ‘Last season, I think he had three injuries like this, so we take care. He’s not available tomorrow or in Istanbul against Galatasaray.’
Raphinha, 29, miss 25 games for club and country last season because of hamstring issues, and na one reason Barça dey apply caution dis time. Di Blaugrana suffer dip in intensity when di Brazilian dey sidelines, with sporting director Deco say na one reason dem sign Antony Gordon for summer, but Flick insist dat one no go happen again.
Flick add say wetin he see for training today show plenty very good things and huge quality. ‘Also against the ball we press very well. This is our standard, our mentality, I think the other players can do it,’ he tok when dem ask about impact Raphinha absence fit get.
Raphinha explosive form dis season come as him dey play No. 9, position wey new for am, afta he step into di gap wey Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres leave. Him injury go give summer signing Gabriel Jesus, wey don score two goals in four appearances off di bench, chance to start him first games since he join from Arsenal.
‘This is the idea,’ Flick tok when dem ask if Jesus go be starting striker against Getafe dis weekend. ‘He’s improve a lot here, adapted to our style, how we want to play. His strength is in the box. In these three weeks during the international break, he trained good. I like what I saw. He is ready.’
Flick also confirm say Joan García fit to return for goal, while Frenkie de Jong, wey never feature dis season, also dey close to comeback. Like Raphinha, di Dutch midfielder no go dey available against Getafe or Galatasaray for Champions League on Tuesday, but he fit return to di squad for di visit to Betis next Saturday.
‘The evolution is good,’ Flick tok. ‘He has no pain; he can do everything, but he needs some time more.’
Barça don win all eight of dia games for all competitions dis season — seven for LaLiga and one for Champions League — but dia perfect start to di campaign go dey tested across gruelling run of fixtures for October. Afta hosting Getafe on Saturday, dem get away games against Galatasaray, Real Betis and PSG before di Clásico at Camp Nou against Madrid on Oct. 25.
‘Always the next game is the most important, nothing else,’ Flick tok, as he refuse to look too far ahead. ‘Getafe is not an easy game. They defend well, they had huge success last season qualifying for the Conference League, very good. We know how they play. It’s never easy. For us, the focus is Getafe.’
