Raphinha handed pre-season lift to Flick as Barcelona winger declared fully fit in England camp

Brazil forward Raphinha has been given the all-clear from a right hamstring injury and has now joined Barcelona’s pre-season training base at St George’s Park in England.

The 27-year-old, who featured in only two matches at the recent World Cup before Brazil went out in the last 16 against Norway, has completed his recovery and begun work under new head coach Hansi Flick.

Raphinha reported to the Catalan club’s camp on Wednesday and was warmly welcomed by his team-mates with a traditional dressing-room greeting before training on Thursday, according to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo.

He took part in the initial segment of the morning session with the rest of the squad, then continued with an individual programme designed to ease him back towards full match sharpness.

Fitness work takes centre stage

While Raphinha is now medically recovered, Barcelona staff are planning to increase his workload step by step after his late arrival.

Most of the winger’s team-mates have been in England and training for almost two weeks, giving them a significant head start in pre-season preparation.

The morning session on Thursday was dominated by physical conditioning as Flick and his staff continue to build fitness levels ahead of the new campaign.

Benjamin Kugel, Barcelona’s recently appointed fitness coach, led the early part of the workout before the players moved on to ball-based drills.

Club hierarchy in attendance

Barcelona’s boardroom presence was notable at St George’s Park, underlining the importance of the early days of Flick’s tenure.

Rafa Yuste, the club’s vice-president in charge of sporting matters, arrived at the training camp on Wednesday night and was present for Thursday’s session.

He watched from the sidelines alongside Bojan Krkic, now the club’s football co-ordinator, and Alejandro Echevarria, a member of the sporting committee.

Their attendance came as Barcelona continued to assess the squad during pre-season, with Raphinha’s return viewed as a significant boost after his World Cup setback.

Background to Raphinha’s injury

Raphinha had been sidelined since suffering a right hamstring problem during Brazil’s World Cup campaign, limiting him to two appearances before the national team’s elimination by Norway in the round of 16.

His full recovery in time to link up with Barcelona’s England camp means Flick can now start integrating the winger into his tactical plans on the training pitch, even if his workload is being carefully managed in the short term.

The Brazilian will be expected to gradually match the intensity levels of his colleagues over the coming days as Barcelona step up their preparations for the new season.