Barcelona rest Raphinha for Galatasaray trip to protect captain's fitness
goal.com —
Barcelona captain Raphinha has been left out of the squad for Tuesday's Champions League match against Galatasaray, with manager Hansi Flick prioritizing the Brazilian's long-term fitness over immediate participation. Flick and Raphinha mutually agreed to skip the Istanbul trip to avoid risking another muscular injury, following past setbacks from rushed recoveries. The decision comes ahead of El Clasico on October 25, with Barcelona also managing a busy fixture schedule. Barcelona will stay overnight in Istanbul for a Wednesday training session before facing Real Betis on Saturday. Galatasaray are missing Wilfried Singo and Lesley Ugochukwu, while Barcelona have won their last three visits to the Turkish champions.