There were just a few minutes to go in the first half of Brazil's friendly with France last week when Raphinha began to experience what Carlo Ancelotti called "mild discomfort" in his right thigh. However, the mere fact that he failed to re-emerge for the second period at the Gillette Stadium immediately put Barcelona's medical team on red alert and they promptly reached out to the winger, desperately hoping to receive reassurance that he hadn't aggravated an issue that had already sidelined him twice this season.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has reinforced Lamine Yamal’s powerful anti-racism message following the "intolerable" Islamophobic chants that marred Spain’s recent friendly against Egypt. The 18-year-old winger, a practising Muslim, expressed his disgust after spectators at RCDE Stadium aimed derogatory songs at his faith, prompting a formal investigation by local Catalan police.