Why Barcelona Struggle Without Raphinha in the Big Games

Raphinha defines Flick’s Barcelona

Raphinha’s 2025/26 season has been disrupted by thigh injuries, yet his 19 goals and 7 assists underline his value. Barcelona’s big-game form dips without him, as stats show. Here’s why Flick’s side rely on the Brazilian winger for energy, pressing, and end product.

Injury-hit Raphinha still runs Barcelona’s engine...

Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final second leg but still exited on aggregate. That raises the question again: how well have the Catalan giants managed without Raphinha?

Under Xavi, a sale looked likely at one stage for the former Leeds United winger, who rarely played more than an hour in most matches.

Revival under Hansi Flick

  

Now one of the team captains, Raphinha has flourished and embraced the added responsibility. His leadership on the pitch, armband or not, has been a standout feature of Flick’s tenure.

  

He hasn’t hit the same heights in 2025/26 as last season, but he’s still managed 19 goals and seven assists across all competitions so far.

  

His latest injury, the third thigh issue since August, has coincided with another dip in Barca’s form. The clearest example is Atleti’s 2-0 win at Camp Nou, their first victory there in 20 years.

 

A better measure of his absence came earlier this season when he missed nine straight games in all competitions.

 

That spell included a 4-1 defeat at Sevilla, a 2-1 El Clasico loss to Real Madrid, and a 3-3 Champions League draw with Club Brugge.

©🇧🇷 Raphinha: "I won't lie... I have been a Barça fan since I was a kid. I grew up watching these players and it's an honor to play here!".

"The captaincy means a lot to me, I'm very emotional".

"Playing matches as captain of FC Barcelona is very special". pic.twitter.com/ZgxbJWxhLj

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 23, 2024

Big-Game Drop-Off Without Raphinha

Victories over Girona, Elche and Olympiacos were predictable, but a clear pattern shows up when Raphinha is missing.

Barca have struggled in this season’s marquee fixtures without him, aside from Tuesday night’s second-leg win.

Raphinha's xG map - LaLiga 2025/26 | Opta by Stats Perform

Marcus Rashford has largely filled in for the Brazilian and posted impressive numbers in his first season at the club, especially given he’s often been a rotational option.

Yet for all his effort and professionalism, the Englishman isn’t quite on Raphinha’s level.

💯 RAPHINHA! 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/w5lXbRiXcU

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 23, 2024

Strong Return Despite Setbacks

The Brazilian plays like every ball matters, chasing lost causes and pressing relentlessly across the pitch.

  

In 2025/26, only Lamine Yamal has topped his goal and assist tally, even though the teenager has featured in 12 more games and roughly 1,500 more minutes so far.

Raphinha's attacking carries - LaLiga 2025/26 | Opta by Stats Perform

  

His 57 open-play crosses rank second only to Lamine, and his 30.4% success rate trails Jules Kounde and Joao Cancelo by a small margin.

 

Only Fermin Lopez and Lamine have created more than Raphinha’s 18 big chances, while Rashford is the lone player to better his 17 chances created from set plays.

 

A 50% tackle rate, 14 won and 14 lost from 28, is solid for a forward whose main job isn’t defending. The same applies to his 15 clearances and eight interceptions.

Setting the Standard, With Room to Grow

If there’s one area to sharpen, it’s his passing accuracy.

An 80.7% completion rate seems fine until you see that only Ferran Torres and Robert Lewandowski rank lower.

Even so, Raphinha remains central to how Flick wants his Barcelona team to operate.

Pressing from the front and chasing down opponents at every chance, while delivering electric play on the wing, is essential to the system.

Raphinha, every time pic.twitter.com/veoXvI55H8

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 21, 2025

  

The confidence, spark and energy he brings, plus his growth as a senior figure and his approach to each game, keep him a firm favourite with teammates, staff, and fans alike.

With Atletico looking uneasy in the first 30 minutes of that UCL second leg, it’s easy to picture how much damage Raphinha could have done down the left.

That was arguably one of Barca’s best displays this season and proves they can manage without the Brazilian. Still, with him in the lineup, the Catalans might have edged past Atleti into a semi-final against Arsenal or Sporting.

The Blaugranes remain nine points clear in LaLiga, but the sooner their number 11 is back for the final stretch, the better for Barca.