Raphinha Dias (29) picked up an injury on March 28 while on international duty with Brazil and was sidelined for 36 days. The injury to his left hamstring kept him out of the Champions League quarter-final tie against Atlético de Madrid, as well as four other matches.
He returns just in time for the match where Barça can secure their 29th league title. They’ll do it if they win or draw against Real Madrid.
And Real Madrid are his favourite victims, as he’s scored seven goals in 12 matches against them. He missed the first leg at the Bernabéu due to a recurrence of a muscle injury he suffered against Oviedo. This time, while he’s unlikely to start, he will be available.
Last season, the Brazilian scored five goals against Madrid. He found the net in the 0-4 LaLiga win at the Bernabéu, bagged a brace in the Spanish Super Cup final (2-5), went scoreless in the Copa del Rey final (3-2 for Barça), and scored two more in the league clash at Montjuïc (4-3), where the Catalans sealed the title.
Top 100
What’s more, if Raphinha features in the four remaining matches this season, he’ll reach 179 appearances in a Barça shirt. That would put him in the Top 100 players with the most games played for Barcelona.
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