Xavi's Barcelona are box office.
The champions' title run last season was built off a historically stout defence, but such solidity has escaped La Blaugrana at the start of 2023/24.
Despite shipping an average of a goal-per-game through eight La Liga encounters, Barca's prolific start at the other end of the pitch (they're La Liga's leading scorers) has ensured their title defence has gotten off to a promising start.
The two Joaos - Cancelo and Felix - have added greater attacking verve to Xavi's side, who sit second in the table and a point behind eternal rivals Real Madrid, while Robert Lewandowski's continued proficiency has been complemented by a classy midfield and young dynamo Lamine Yamal.
However, it looks as if Barca's attack will be a man down for the next few weeks after Raphinha was forced off in their 1-0 win over Sevilla on Friday night.
When will Raphinha return from injury?
After a relatively tough start to his Barcelona career, Raphinha eventually came into his own during his debut season in Catalonia and was a regular contributor to their title win. The Brazilian notched 14 goal contributions in 33 La Liga outings.
He's a player admired by the boss, with Xavi hailing the former Leeds star as the "future" of the club back in February. Well, he's the here and now also, although the injury he sustained on Friday means Barca will instead lean on the magic of Yamal down the right as well as the useful Ferran Torres.
Barcelona confirmed that Raphinha picked up a hamstring injury to his right leg against Sevilla, but they were very vague when offering a potential timescale for his return.
"Tests carried out on the first team player Raphinha show that he has a hamstring injury in his right thigh. He is unavailable for selection and his recovery will dictate his return," a club statement read.
While Xavi said post-match that he's hopeful to have his winger available after the October international break, that certainly isn't guaranteed. However, if Xavi's optimistic outlook proves true, Raphinha will miss just two games. Barca travel to Porto in the Champions League and visit Granada in La Liga before the break.
The Brazilian will undoubtedly be aiming to return by the first Clasico of the season in Catalonia on 28 October. Barca are already likely to be without Frenkie de Jong for Madrid's visit.
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This article was originally published on 90min as Raphinha injury: Progress & potential return date for Barcelona winger.
