BARCELONA: Barcelona suffered an early blow ahead of the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg against Atletico Madrid when they lost two key left wingers, Marcus Rashford and Raphinha.
Raphinha is still sidelined with a thigh injury, while Rashford did not train today after suffering a knee problem following a tackle during the 3-0 win over Real Mallorca in La Liga last Saturday.
Barca manager Hansi Flick confirmed that the England striker is not fit to play at the Metropolitano Stadium.
“Marcus can’t play yet, he took a knock and it hurts. We need to take care of him.
“This is not good news, but I always believe in my team.
“In a situation like this it’s not easy, but we have to improve and that’s also important for tomorrow’s match,” said Flick.
Flick also stressed that a cautious approach was being taken towards Raphinha’s recovery process.
“He’s a player who always gives everything with high intensity. If he starts to feel something, we have to take care of him and maybe take a step back.
“That’s the situation right now. Of course I’m not happy because we need it,” he said.
The absence of both players opens up space for Ferran Torres or Dani Olmo to be moved to the left wing position, even though it is not their original position.
In addition, the Catalan giants continue to be plagued by long-term injury problems involving Pedri, Gavi and Andreas Christensen.
In another development, Uruguayan defender Ronald Araujo, who previously took a month-long break due to mental health issues at the end of 2025, revealed that he has been struggling with anxiety and depression for the past 18 months.
Flick described Araujo as a strong individual, but stressed the coach’s responsibility in looking after the players’ welfare.