FIFA will have to financially compensate Barcelona for Rafinha’s injury, which will keep him out of action for a considerable period.
Rafinha suffered a hamstring injury in his right leg during Brazil’s friendly match against France last Wednesday in the United States.
How long will Rafinha be out for Barcelona?
According to current reports, Rafinha will be sidelined for between one month and five weeks, a significant blow for Barcelona as they enter a crucial period of the season.
Barcelona currently leads La Liga by four points over their closest rivals, Real Madrid, and has also reached the Champions League quarterfinals, where they will face Atlético Madrid immediately after the international break.
There is considerable discontent within Barcelona regarding Rafinha’s injury, particularly from coach Hansi Flick, who doesn’t understand how Carlo Ancelotti could have fielded the player immediately after such a long and tiring journey.
How much compensation will FIFA pay Barcelona for Rafinha’s injury?
FIFA regulations stipulate that if a player is injured during an international break and is sidelined for more than 28 days, the governing body of football must compensate his club financially.
FIFA regulations previously set the maximum compensation at €7.5 million, with a maximum daily wage of approximately €20,000.
According to the newspaper Sport, if Rafinha is out for five weeks, Barcelona will receive only €143,000 in compensation from FIFA.
Undoubtedly, the meager compensation FIFA will pay will never compensate Barcelona for the absence of Rafinha, who has become one of the most important and experienced players in the Catalan club and practically irreplaceable in Hansi Flick’s squad.
Matches Rafinha will miss due to injury
Rafinha will miss the La Liga match against Atlético Madrid next Saturday, and then the Champions League match against the same team four days later.
He will also miss the La Liga match against Espanyol on April 11, and then the Champions League quarter-final second leg against Atlético three days later.
If Rafinha is unable to return before the expected date, he may miss the matches against Celta Vigo (April 22), Getafe (April 26), and Osasuna (May 3), but should be available to play against Real Madrid in the highly anticipated Clásico on May 10.
🚨 OFFICIAL: Raphinha will be out for minimum 4 weeks up to 5 weeks with muscle injury, Barça staff confirms.
❌ Atlético Madrid (La Liga)
❌ Atletico Madrid (UCL)
❌ Espanyol (La Liga)
❌ Atlético Madrid (UCL)
❌ Celta Vigo (La Liga)
❌ Getafe (La Liga)
❌ Potential UCL semi… pic.twitter.com/ox6hxqTp27— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 28, 2026
How will Flick compensate for Rafinha’s absence?
The easiest and most realistic option for Flick would be to play Marcus Rashford on the left wing instead of Rafinha, but it’s highly unlikely the German coach wants to do so due to the Englishman’s defensive shortcomings.
Other ideas being considered include deploying Firmino Lopez on the left flank, relying on the promising Swedish player Ronnie Bradley in that position, and even the possibility of moving Ferran Torres from his usual center-forward role to the wing if needed.
Rafinha with Barcelona this season
Rafinha is one of Barcelona’s most productive players in terms of goal contributions this season across all competitions, having participated in 31 matches, scoring 19 goals and providing 8 assists.
In La Liga, the 28-year-old Brazilian has scored 11 goals and provided 3 assists, in addition to 3 goals in the Champions League and one in the Copa del Rey. He particularly shone in the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia, scoring 4 goals and providing one assist against Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid.
