Barcelona winger Raphinha ruled out of El Clasico with injury setback

Barcelona winger Raphinha will miss the upcoming El Clasico against Real Madrid due to ongoing recovery from a hamstring injury sustained about a month ago. Although he resumed training earlier in the week, he experienced discomfort during a session and did not participate in subsequent training, leading the club to rule him out of the match as a precaution. There is no relapse of the injury, but he is not yet fit to play at full capacity, and Barcelona have not set a fixed return date, with expectations he may need around three more weeks of rest, potentially missing four additional matches. The setback has left the player deeply saddened, as he was hopeful to feature in the crucial fixture. Meanwhile, other players like Ferran Torres are considered options to lead the attack in the absence of the injured Robert Lewandowski, and defender Jules Kounde's availability is still being assessed. The absence of Raphinha is a significant blow for Barcelona's coach Hansi Flick, but the club is relieved there is no injury relapse at this stage.