Following his injury and after several matches where he had to be subbed off earlier than either he, Hansi Flick, or the fans would have liked, we finally got one of those classic Raphinha performances.
After a late second-half brace against Osasuna and three more points on the scoreboard, we can confidently claim that the Brazilian superstar is back.
He is once again deciding games and dominating opponents in his signature style. And what a time to recover and play at a high level, too, considering the end of the year and the start of the next are always chock full of matches.
As the calendar switches from 2025 to 2026, not only will the Copa del Rey start again, but January also brings the Supercopa de España against Vilareal. The first trophy of the season will be an incredible way to kick the year off, and Raphinha will be there to score in his way to the top.
There will be three La Liga games in the month of January, as well as two UEFA Champions League matchups that will determine the team’s chances going forward. If there was ever a time to be fully healthy and ready for a push, it is right now.
Finishing the Year Strong
Before 2026 rolls around, the squad has to deal with the remaining December matches. This Tuesday, December 16, it is the Round of 32 of the new Copa del Rey campaign. Barca will play against Deportivo Guadalajara, a third-tier team playing in Primera Federacion.
It is irrelevant to talk about favorites, but this game will be a great way for Flick and the squad to test out formations, stay in form, and try out things they might have been working on. Expect the second team to start the match with a few starters coming on in the second half. Barca should score plenty, so make sure to review these new online betting sites to make your predictions.
The final game of 2025 is going to be another away game as the team plays Villarreal at Estadio de la Ceramica. December 21 is the date of the last game of the year, before the guys get their well-earned rest. It is a prime opportunity to finish at the top of the scoreboard and welcome 2026 as the best team in Spain.
Currently, Barca has 43 points, ahead of Real Madrid with 36. Villareal has been superb to start the season and is currently third with 35 points. At the moment, Barca and Villareal are the only two sides to win their last 5. A strong performance and a win will serve as statements for the entire Primera. Look for Raphinha to continue his strong return from the injury.
A Busy January
With the team almost at full strength, the New Year will test them entirely as they play in four competitions. Opening the year on January 3, it is yet another away fixture. Espanyol awaits in La Liga in a game that should feature Barca at its strongest, meaning Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Ferran Torres, and Rober Lewandowski all favored to score. Espanyol is not an easy team to beat, especially this year, as they are fifth with 30 points and 4-1 in their last 5.
In another big game in January, Baca is playing at home in the Supercopa de España semi-final against Athletic Club. The team is, as per usual, in the top half of the standings this year with 23 points. Led by Nico Williams, who has been tied to Barcelona plenty of times in the last few years, they are never an easy matchup. However, Barca did rout them in November, a 4-0 win at home, with Torres scoring a brace and Lewy and Fermin adding one each. This time around, expect Raphinha and Yamal to dominate together and run rampant on Athletic’s side.
The Copa del Rey Round of 16 is scheduled for January 14, and Barca will have to wait for their opponent following their expected victory against Guadalajara in the Round of 32. Expecting them to take care of business there, too, it is off to Real Sociedad four days later January 18. Sociedad is not having a good time this year as they are currently 16th in the league. They could improve until this game, but nobody expects them to be up to par against a fully stacked Barca offense.
The final Spanish Primera matchup of the season is at home against Ovideo, the relegation zone side that has really been struggling. Another chance at easy three points and some rest for Raphinha and the other starting XI. But there are two much more important games, one before and one after this La Liga meeting.
UEFA Champions League Struggles
The place where Raphinha’s absence and getting back to form have been missing the most is definitely this season of the UEFA Champions League. While Barca seems to be fine domestically, Europe has not been nearly as easy for them as last year.
The 2024/2025 season saw themes coring left and right, but back then, Yamal, Lewandowski, and Raphinha were healthy and in top form. This year, they have not gotten enough run as a trio, and despite other stars shining brighter, namely Ferran Torres, Fermin Lopez, and Jules Kounde, the team needs their scorers and playmakers.
On January 21, it is an away game at Slavia Praha. A week later, on January 28, it is a home game against Copenhagen. Barca is in disappointing 15th place right now in UCL, with 3 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses. Winning these two, against Slavia in 33rd and Copenhagen in 24th spot, should propel them further up and well into the top 8.
The European schedule favors them to start the year, and overall, the entire opening month of 2026 is a prime opportunity for the Catalans to take command of the season and establish control across four different competitions. Defending trophies is never easy, but there is no better motivation than getting to keep them for another year and add one more in the meantime!
