Raphinha to miss BOTH legs of Barcelona's Champions League quarter-final tie against Atletico Madrid as Liga club confirms devastating hamstring injury blow

Hansi Flick’s tactical plans have been thrown into chaos after Barcelona confirmed that Raphinha will be unavailable for at least five weeks. The former Leeds United star has been a cornerstone of the German manager's system this season, netting 19 goals and eight assists in 31 games in all competitions.

The 29-year-old sustained the injury during the international break, forcing him to withdraw from the Brazil squad. And following medical tests conducted upon his return to Catalonia, the worst-case scenario has now been confirmed.

Barcelona released an official statement confirming that the Brazilian will now begin a recovery program. The five-week timeline rules him out of the first leg against Atletico on April 8 and the return fixture on April 14.

"Raphinha has a right hamstring injury, as confirmed by medical tests carried out by the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) following the discomfort he experienced during the Brazil v France match in Boston on Thursday," the club's statement read.

"The player is returning to Barcelona to begin the appropriate treatment. The estimated recovery time is five weeks. He was forced to leave the pitch at half-time in a friendly game that ended in 2-1 defeat for the South Americans. A key player for his national side, he is equally important for FC Barcelona. This season he has made a total of 31 appearances and scored 19 goals, making him the club’s second-highest scorer of the campaign."

The injury occurred during Brazil’s 2-1 friendly defeat to France on Thursday. Despite a bright start to the match, Raphinha was forced off at the interval, leaving fans and coaching staff sweating over his fitness. Selecao head coach Carlo Ancelotti initially described the half-time change as a precaution, but subsequent scans have revealed a more serious issue.

Ancelotti explained the situation to the press, stating: "I think Raphinha played very well. He had some muscle discomfort at the end of the first half and we had to substitute him, but he had many opportunities and very good movement off the ball. And Vini always tries; he always makes the difference. A striker cannot always score, but the work done by both of them was good."

Beyond the European stage, Raphinha's absence will be felt in La Liga, where Barcelona currently hold a four-point lead over rivals Real Madrid. Flick's side face back-to-back matches against Atletico in La Liga and the Champions League after the international break. Meanwhile, Raphinha will continue his recovery and is expected to return to action in early May.