Raphinha awaits the moment of truth: 20 hours that have Barcelona fans holding their breath

Additional tests for the Barça captain

Barcelona fans are waiting anxiously for news on Raphinha. Is the discomfort that pulled the captain away from the Brazil national team merely that, discomfort, or is one of the most decisive players of Hansi Flick's early season facing something more serious?

The Brazilian Football Confederation confirmed as much in an official statement on Wednesday morning, announcing Raphinha's return to Barcelona as a precautionary measure after he picked up the injury on international duty in a friendly against Australia.

He scored a penalty in that match, which the Seleção won 4-2, but came off at half-time with swelling in his right thigh.

According to the Confederation's statement, Raphinha is suffering from "muscular oedema", which ruled him out of Carlo Ancelotti's squad for the friendly against India.

The forward has now left Brazil's training camp and is due to land in Barcelona on Thursday, where the club will run the necessary medical tests. Everything hinges first on how much fatigue Raphinha carries off the plane, having clocked up more than 20 hours in the air on the journey back from Australia, according to Mundo Deportivo.

Barcelona want to pin down, precisely and in detail, what caused the oedema that cut his international break short.