The Brazilian winger is set to make his return in the Clásico this Sunday, and it could be against his favorite opponent. Raphinha was called up for the match against Osasuna but did not feature, and all signs point to him getting minutes at Camp Nou against Real Madrid.
Raphinha Dias (29) suffered a hamstring injury in his left thigh during Brazil’s international duty on March 28, sidelining him for 36 days. The setback forced him to miss the Champions League quarterfinal tie against Atlético Madrid as well as four additional matches.
His comeback comes at a crucial moment, as Barcelona can seal their 29th LaLiga title this weekend if they avoid defeat against Real Madrid. The Brazilian has thrived against Los Blancos, scoring seven goals in 12 career meetings. He missed the first El Clásico at the Bernabéu due to a muscular injury relapse sustained against Oviedo, but this time he is expected to be available, even if not in the starting XI.
Last season, Raphinha netted five times against Madrid. He scored in the 0-4 LaLiga win at the Bernabéu, bagged a brace in the Spanish Super Cup final (2-5), drew a blank in the Copa del Rey final (3-2 for Barça), and added two more in the league clash at Montjuïc (4-3) that effectively decided the title race.
**Top 100 Milestone**
If Raphinha appears in each of the remaining four matches this season, he will reach 179 appearances for the Blaugrana. That number would place him in the top 100 of players with the most games for Barcelona in the club’s history.