Raphinha, Rashford and Pedri All Sidelined as Flick Faces Uphill Battle at the Metropolitano
Hansi Flick will walk into the Metropolitano on Thursday night with his game plan already missing several of its key protagonists. Barcelona’s Copa del Rey semi-final first leg against Atlético Madrid has become a far steeper challenge, with three influential attackers ruled out of the trip to the capital.
Raphinha, Barcelona’s relentless Brazilian winger, has not recovered in time. Initially expected to miss around ten days with an adductor overload in his right leg, his rehabilitation has crawled rather than sprinted. He continues to work alone in the gym, and the coaching staff accept he is nowhere near ready to feature—let alone start. The player himself had already conceded the timing was impossibly tight. Barça now hope to have him back for the league meeting with Girona instead.
Alongside him on the sidelines is Marcus Rashford. The English forward, who has shown flashes of his sharpness since his January arrival, picked up a knock to his left knee in the recent win over Mallorca. The club have opted for caution, unwilling to risk aggravating the injury in a fixture of such intensity.
Pedri, too, remains absent as he continues his own recovery. While there is quiet optimism within the club that the Spanish playmaker could return before the month is out, no firm date has been set. His composure and vision will be missed in a tie that demands exactly that.
There is, at least, one thread of encouragement for Flick. Frenkie de Jong has returned to group training after his own spell on the sidelines. The Dutchman is not yet at full sharpness, but his availability offers a timely midfield reinforcement—especially with Barcelona’s attack and engine room both thinned by injury.
With the tie delicately poised and the first leg played away from home, Barcelona will need to lean heavily on their squad depth to escape the capital with a result they can build on at Camp Nou.
Similar Posts:
- Flick Confirms Pedri Suffers Hamstring Injury
- Crushing Blow for Barcelona as Raphinha Suffers Late Setback
- Barcelona’s Struggles Deepen as Lamine Yamal Injury Adds Uncertainty
- Raphinha Opens Up on Turbulent Times at Barcelona and Decision to Stay
- Flick Faces Selection Dilemma as Fatigue Opens Door for Rashford
