Flick won't repeat Raphinha mistake and plans Getafe replacement

Hansi Flick has made it clear he will not gamble with Raphinha. The Brazilian winger is heading back to Barcelona after being released from the Brazil squad due to an edema in the back of his right thigh, and the German coach is already preparing a plan to cover for him in attack if he fails to make Saturday's meeting with Getafe. The caution is no accident: last season, rushing his return cost the player nearly an extra month on the sidelines.

• Raphinha has an edema in the back of his right thigh and was released from Brazil duty.
• Flick admitted he mismanaged the player's return last season and does not want a repeat.
• The Brazilian will undergo tests in Barcelona to assess the full extent of the injury.
• The Clasico against Real Madrid on Sunday 25 at the Spotify Camp Nou shapes the coach's cautious approach.
• Gabriel Jesus, Hamza Abdelkarim and several false-nine options are the alternatives for Getafe.

Flick refuses to repeat last season's Raphinha miscalculation

The German coach has openly admitted that Raphinha's relapse last season was his own fault. In October, he downplayed a biceps femoris issue and rushed the Brazilian back into action. The player broke down again in the same area and ended up missing almost an additional month, including the Clasico.

That episode still lingers in the Barcelona dressing room. Now that the winger has returned with discomfort in his right thigh, Flick has opted for maximum caution. No firm decision has been made about his involvement against Getafe: everything hinges on the tests carried out over the next few hours and how the swelling develops.

What happened to Raphinha with Brazil

Raphinha asked to be taken off at half-time during Brazil's friendly last Tuesday. Television footage showed him grimacing and reaching for the back of his right thigh, the same area that has troubled him before. The Brazilian federation announced his withdrawal from the squad on Wednesday, and the player travelled to Barcelona to put himself in the hands of the club's medical staff.

The initial diagnosis points to an edema in the right thigh, a buildup of fluid typically linked to overload or impact. Imaging tests in Barcelona will be decisive in clarifying whether there is deeper muscle damage and how many days of rest are required.

Why Flick is putting the brakes on before the Clasico

The coach's thinking goes beyond the Getafe fixture. On Sunday 25, Real Madrid visit the Spotify Camp Nou, and Flick does not want his captain arriving at that game half-fit or carrying a fresh relapse. Last season, Raphinha's absence was felt most keenly in the biggest matches, and the German will not gift that scenario a second time.

With 14 goals this season, Raphinha is a core piece of the Barcelona system. Losing him for Getafe would already be a setback, but the real risk lies in accelerating his return and ending up without him for the decisive stretch of the fixture list, including the meeting with Los Blancos. That is why Flick wants objective data before making any call.

Flick's options to replace Raphinha against Getafe

If the Brazilian does not recover in time, the coach has several alternatives with very different profiles. The most straightforward route is to field a natural centre-forward, and two names stand out: Gabriel Jesus and Hamza Abdelkarim. The Brazilian has played 41 minutes across four appearances and has already scored twice. The Egyptian, for his part, has managed just four minutes in a Barcelona shirt, all of them in the league match against Rayo.

The false nine is gaining ground

Flick can also choose to leave out a traditional number nine and use a more mobile profile at the tip of the attack. Dani Olmo, Fermín López, Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi have all spent time in that false-nine role and performed well. Their movement between the lines and their defensive work fit neatly with the high-pressing approach the German demands.

Lamine Yamal appears as a less likely option for the centre-forward spot. Although he has more than enough quality to play inside, his natural habitat remains the wing, and shifting him central could dilute his influence on the attacking game. Even so, he has not been ruled out entirely.

When Raphinha's Getafe availability will be decided

No decision will be made until the forward completes his medical tests in Barcelona. The edema in his right thigh means waiting 24 to 48 hours to monitor how the swelling evolves and to rule out any muscle fibre damage. Depending on the results, Flick will decide whether to include him in the squad or activate one of his alternative plans for the attack.

Barcelona are not going to rush things. The lesson from last year has been learned, and the two-week cushion before the Clasico on the 25th allows Raphinha's return to be managed without haste. His presence against Getafe remains uncertain, but the club's message is clear: the player will not be pushed if there is even a minimal risk of relapse.