Barcelona has been hit with a major setback ahead of Sunday’s highly anticipated El Clásico against Real Madrid. Star forward Raphinha has been ruled out of the clash after failing to recover from a hamstring injury that has sidelined him for the past month.
Manager Hansi Flick had been hopeful of having the Brazilian fit for the crucial game, but those plans were dashed after Raphinha felt fresh discomfort during training on Thursday. He did not take part in Friday’s session, confirming that he will miss the trip to the Bernabéu.
There is, however, some positive news for Flick. Both Frenkie de Jong and Andreas Christensen have recovered from illness and are expected to be available for selection. Meanwhile, Jules Kounde, who has been dealing with a minor muscle issue, is also likely to feature after missing a few training sessions.
Barcelona’s injury list remains lengthy, with Marc-André ter Stegen, Joan Garcia, Dani Olmo, Robert Lewandowski, and Gavi all still unavailable. The absences will limit Flick’s attacking options, making it likely that Marcus Rashford, Ferran Torres, and Lamine Yamal will lead the front line, supported by Fermin Lopez just behind them.
With so many key players sidelined, the pressure will be on Barcelona’s young stars to step up in one of the biggest games of the season. Roony Bardghji is expected to be Flick’s only senior attacking option off the bench.
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