In a return that has reignited hope at Camp Nou, Brazilian Rafeina has arrived in Barcelona from Brazil to breathe new life and enthusiasm into the Catalan side.
The brilliant winger boarded a private jet after spending several days in his home country to recharge his mental energy and regain his psychological balance, following the severe injury to his right hamstring sustained during the friendly match against France.
Rafinha (29) arrived at Barcelona Airport smiling and full of confidence, boarding the minibus in the VIP lounge whilst remaining calm in the face of questions from eager journalists.
Manager Hansi Flick had granted Rafeina special permission to travel to Brazil to regain his morale, after the player had expressed great frustration over the injury.
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Flick said enthusiastically earlier: “This isn’t his first injury this season. I spoke to him via FaceTime and he was extremely frustrated, so Deco and I decided to give him a few days with his family in Brazil to rest and come back stronger. He’ll be back with us on Monday!”
And that is exactly what the Brazilian player did, as he reported for duty at Barcelona on Monday, as the German coach had previously announced.
Medical estimates suggest Rafeina will be out for around five weeks, but everyone at Barcelona has one major goal: for the Brazilian star to be ready to set the fiery Clásico alight against Real Madrid on 10 May at the Camp Nou.