Barcelona fear international break could derail Raphinha’s remarkable scoring run

Raphinha’s outstanding start to the season is under threat from a demanding international schedule, with the Barcelona forward set to travel 34,000 kilometres to play three friendlies for Brazil in Australia and India.

The 28-year-old has scored 14 goals in his first eight appearances of the campaign, across all competitions, having played 626 minutes. He is the leading scorer in La Liga with 12 goals and added two more in Barcelona’s 5-1 Champions League victory over Feyenoord.

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has moved Raphinha into a central attacking role following the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres. The change has transformed the Brazil international into a prolific goalscorer and given him the most productive spell of his career.

Flick believes Raphinha possesses the character, quality, finishing ability and desire required to operate as a conventional striker.

However, Sport reports that Raphinha will begin a punishing journey on Monday to join up with Brazil. He is due to play Australia on 25 and 29 September before facing India on 3 October.

The schedule has prompted concern at Barcelona, particularly because Raphinha finished injured after each of his two most recent Brazil call-ups.

Sport described the trip as “an exhausting journey that causes enormous, unnecessary and avoidable physical strain”. The report added that the Barcelona player would travel 34,000 kilometres by air approximately the equivalent of going around the world once.

Concerns over the international break

The matches are also considered to offer limited sporting benefit to Raphinha. Australia were eliminated from the 2026 World Cup in the round of 32 by Egypt, while India are 138th in the FIFA rankings.

Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil’s manager, is therefore seen as a threat to Raphinha’s momentum as the forward enjoys his best goalscoring form. Barcelona’s concern is heightened by the midfielder-turned-forward’s recent injury history with the national team.

Raphinha’s first recent injury came during the March international break, when Ancelotti selected him for a short United States tour featuring friendlies against France and Croatia. He was hurt in the first half of the match against France in Boston.

The injury was a tear to the biceps femoris muscle in his right thigh, ruling him out for five weeks. Barcelona paid the price, with Raphinha missing the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid and the Champions League match against the same opponents. Barcelona were eliminated from both competitions.

His absence during the decisive stage of the season had a major negative effect on Flick’s side, although Barcelona still went on to win La Liga.

Ancelotti then called up Raphinha for his second World Cup with Brazil. In their second group match, against Haiti, Raphinha felt pain and was substituted in the 38th minute. Tests revealed a muscle injury to the back of his right thigh.

He began intensive treatment but did not recover before Brazil were knocked out of the tournament by Norway.