Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has revealed that Raphinha asked to be substituted in the closing minutes of El Clasico during the 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid.
The Brazilian forward, who had recently struggled with injury problems, had no energy left to continue the match, forcing the coaching staff to take him off shortly before Real Madrid scored the decisive goal.
Barcelona suffered a painful defeat on Sunday after Real Madrid scored the winning goal in the 87th minute. The goal came just one minute after Raphinha had been substituted.
Flick had planned to use the Brazilian in a more central role as an attacking midfielder during the final minutes, hoping to find a winning goal. However, those plans changed when the player signalled that he could no longer continue.
“We wanted to use Raphinha as a number 10 in the final minutes, but he asked to be substituted,” Flick said.
The German coach confirmed that the forward’s physical condition had deteriorated following the problems he experienced during the most recent international break.
“He couldn’t play any longer,” Flick added, explaining why the Brazilian was taken off the pitch.
Barcelona’s medical staff will monitor the player’s condition over the coming days to assess his recovery and readiness for the upcoming matches.
Raphinha’s lack of energy in El Clasico came at a time when he has been enjoying outstanding form in the league.
The Brazilian has scored 13 goals in nine La Liga appearances this season, establishing himself as one of the most important players in the Catalan side.