Flick Considers Bench Role for Raphinha ahead of Valencia Match
FC Barcelona‘s โHansiโฃ Flick isโ weighing a change โฃto his starting lineup โคfor Sunday’s clash against โขValencia, potentially dropping winger Raphinha due to the physical โtoll of โฃrecent international duty. The decision comes as several Barรงaโฃ players returned from โFIFA World Cupโฃ qualifiers with varying travel demands.
Raphinha started in Brazil’s 3-0 victory โoverโฃ Chile at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro before โฃtravelingโ to Bolivia for aโฃ 1-0 defeat,appearing as a substitute at an altitude exceeding โ4,000 meters. AS reports that Flick may prioritize raphinha’s fitness for next week’s Champions league away match againstโ Newcastle United, leading to a possible โฃbenching against Valencia.
The potential shift couldโ open โคthe โdoor for Marcus Rashford to make his first start forโ FC Barcelona. Rashford featured for England against Andorra and scoredโข a penalty โagainst โขSerbia,โข benefiting from โless travel compared to โคhis South American counterparts. Ferran โTorres is also a โcontender for the left flankโฃ position.
Barcelona drew โฃ1-1 with โฃRayo Vallecano in their last outing.