Barcelona weigh Gabriel Jesus start as Raphinha remains doubtful for Getafe visit

Barcelona will assess Raphinha’s fitness before their LaLiga meeting with Getafe on 10 October, with Gabriel Jesus in contention to start in the number nine role.

The Brazil captain was released from international duty as a precaution and has not completed a full training session so far this week. His absence would be a significant concern for Hansi Flick, given Raphinha’s outstanding start to the 2026/27 campaign, in which he has scored 14 goals in all competitions.

Flick has welcomed most of his squad back from international duty as preparations begin for the home fixture in Catalonia. Barcelona have won all seven of their LaLiga matches this season and also began their UEFA Champions League campaign with a 5-1 victory against Feyenoord.

The manager is also expected to be without goalkeeper Joan Garcia, who missed Spain’s squad because of injury. Garcia is unlikely to recover in time for Getafe’s visit, with Dominik Livakovic set to continue as his deputy.

Barcelona are expected to avoid taking any unnecessary risks with either player. Raphinha’s fitness will be monitored before Flick decides whether he can feature, while Garcia’s absence means Livakovic is likely to retain his place in goal.

If Raphinha is ruled out, Gabriel Jesus could be handed his first start for Barcelona. The forward has scored twice since joining the club, with both goals coming after appearances from the bench.

Anthony Gordon and Dani Olmo are also regarded as alternative options, but Jesus is currently the leading candidate to replace Raphinha in the number nine position.