Spanish club Barcelona announced the reason for their Brazilian star Rafinha's absence from the match against Real Sociedad on Sunday evening, as part of the 20th round of the Spanish league.

The Catalan club clarified in an official statement that Rafinha's absence was a precautionary measure due to an injury in his right thigh. The coaching staff, led by Hans Flick, preferred not to risk the player's health before the difficult away match.

Barcelona leads the Spanish league table with 49 points, while Real Sociedad occupies the thirteenth place with 21 points, making today's match important for the Catalan team to continue strengthening their lead.

Rafinha has delivered an outstanding performance with Barcelona this season, participating in 18 matches, scoring 11 goals and assisting 5 goals, significantly contributing to the team's successes this season.

Rafinha's precautionary absence reflects the coaching staff's care for the players' safety and the continuity of the team's excellent performance in all competitions, ahead of a crucial away match against Real Sociedad.