Barcelona star suffers unusual injury after kicking out at fridge following Europa League exit at Manchester United: Reports
Barcelona forward Raphinha had a very brief spell on the sidelines after the Blaugrana's 2-2 draw with Manchester United in the first leg of their Europa League playoff. The Brazilian picked up an unusual injury that forced him to spend a short time away from the pitch.
According to Mundo Deportivo (via Mirror), Raphinha suffered the setback after kicking a fridge in anger following his substitution during the game. This left him with a sore knee, enough to deny him some minutes of playing time in Barcelona's subsequent fixtures.
Recall that Raphinha was the Blaugrana's standout player during the 2-2 draw with Manchester United at Camp Nou. The attacker had a brilliant outing, scoring one and assisting the other to ensure his side avoided defeat in front of their own fans.
However, the controversial moment of the game came in the 83rd minute when Xavi decided to take off the Brazilian and brought on Ferran Torres. The former Leeds United forward was visibly frustrated by the manager's decision and reacted angrily as he made way for his colleague.
Raphinha would later go on to demonstrate his anger by kicking a fridge and injuring himself in the process. The Brazilian missed Barcelona's subsequent game against Cadiz in La Liga, which they won 2-0.
Many initially thought that the attacker missed the match as a form of punishment from Xavi for his behavior. However, it has now become clear that his absence was a result of injury.
When Raphinha was substituted against Manchester United in the first leg, he kicked a fridge that left his knee very sore and that's why he was on the bench against Cádiz. [md] #fcblive
The player was later passed fit and made a return to the starting line-up in the second leg of the Europa League playoff against Manchester United last week. Unfortunately, the Catalan giants eventually bowed out of the competition after suffering a 2-1 loss at Old Trafford.
Barcelona manager Xavi comments on Raphinha's behavior in Manchester United clash
Reflecting on Raphina's angry reaction to being substituted in the first leg of their Europa League face-off with Manchester United, Xavi explained that the player has already apologized and doesn't seem to have any problem with him.
He said:
"I understand Raphinha's anger. He has apologized to me, but he doesn't have to. I always ask my players for ambition and he has been [ambitious]. It also bothered me when they replaced me."
So far this season, the attacker has made 34 appearances for the Catalan giants, recording seven goals and nine assists. It remains to be seen what his tally will look like come the end of the campaign.