Raphinha's hidden battle: jet lag and insomnia after Brazil's trip to Australia

Raphinha is back with Barcelona after recovering from the edema in his right thigh, an area that had already forced him to stop twice before while playing for Brazil. The Brazilian captain has registered 14 goals in 8 matches and is vital both in attack and when leading the team's pressing from the front. That is why player and coaching staff alike have chosen a cautious return. But the muscle issue was not the only obstacle he had to overcome: during the international break he also battled insomnia.

A nine-hour jet lag that knocked Raphinha off balance

The problem started with Brazil's journey to Australia, a trip of almost 24 hours on a plane with a nine-hour time difference compared to Barcelona. Even though those around the player tried to reduce the impact of the time change, the winger ended up feeling the effects. Difficulty sleeping became an extra burden during his spell with the national team.

Lack of sleep does not only affect daily performance. For a player carrying a recent muscle injury, poor rest increases the risk of a setback and slows down tissue recovery. That is why alarm bells also went off within Hansi Flick's coaching staff, who realized their captain needed to be managed even more carefully.

Anna West's intervention before the trip

To try to protect Raphinha, Barcelona's staff turned to Anna West, the sleep specialist who works with the first team. She spoke with the player before he left for Australia, aiming to prepare his body for such a demanding journey and soften the effects of jet lag. Even so, nothing could prevent the Brazilian from struggling badly to rest.

The sleep expert working with Flick's squad

Anna West visits Barcelona two days a month and her role goes far beyond emergency cases like Raphinha's. The week before the international break she was at the Ciutat Esportiva, and she also spent time there before the internationals left to join their national teams. In those sessions, the expert helps players build solid rest habits.

• Managing schedules to regulate circadian rhythms
• Relaxation techniques to make it easier to fall asleep
• Using appropriate lighting to prepare the body for sleep

This method has become a quiet pillar inside Barcelona. Elite performance is not built only in the gym or on the pitch: rest makes the difference between staying at peak condition or falling into a spiral of fatigue and injuries.

Raphinha's return and his role in Flick's team

The Brazilian's comeback arrives at a key point of the season. With 14 goals in just 8 matches, his ability to hurt defences in the final third and his defensive commitment when pressing make him one of the hardest players for Hansi Flick to replace. Managing his fitness is not a whim: every decision is made with an eye on avoiding another sudden stop.

The mix of a muscle injury and poor sleep forced the staff to measure every step. The goal is not simply for Raphinha to play again, but for him to do so while coping with the demands of the schedule without the muscle breaking down again. For that reason, everything points to a carefully supervised return in the first stretch after the break.

What Raphinha's case says about the toll of international duty

The episode with Brazil puts the spotlight back on the cost that long trips with national teams have for clubs. Almost a full day on a plane and a nine-hour time difference are not a minor inconvenience: they hit directly at the recovery and performance of players who arrive close to their physical limit. In Raphinha's case, a previous injury multiplied that risk.

Barcelona accepts that it cannot control what happens to each player during the international window, but it can protect their return. The presence of Anna West, constant monitoring and the player's own willingness not to rush back are the tools the club uses to make sure the break leaves as little damage as possible.

Raphinha has had to fight against insomnia, which added an extra risk of injury and made the staff even more cautious with him.