FC Barcelona is facing a jam-packed fixture list, and the schedule is causing some serious headaches for manager Hansi Flick.
With the La Liga clash against Osasuna rescheduled for Thursday after being postponed earlier this month, Barcelona now has to juggle a tight schedule, with a follow-up match against Girona just three days later.
The recent schedule reshuffle has forced Barcelona to make some tough calls, as two key first-team players will miss the Osasuna clash due to the quick turnaround from international duty.
Flick confirmed in a pre-match interview, “Raphinha and Araujo will not be in the squad tomorrow.
“They have a long flight, and they need to recover.”
This decision comes after a hectic international break, with players needing time to rest after extensive travel and exertion.
Flick also shared his frustration with the timing of the match, criticizing how tight the schedule has been for teams like Barcelona.
“The players have played with their national teams, but we have to talk about the game against Osasuna.
“We don’t know if it’s the best day to play,” said the German coach.
He further compared Barcelona’s situation to that of other top leagues, adding, “In other leagues, they manage the calendar differently for teams playing in the Champions League.”
Despite some injury concerns, Barcelona fans will be happy to know that Robert Lewandowski is fit to play following a minor injury during international duty.
Flick reassured the media, saying, “He is fit, he can play. We will decide tomorrow.”
With a demanding stretch of seven matches in just 20 days ahead, the Barcelona manager stressed the importance of proper recovery for his players.
“I had a meeting with the staff and the physiotherapists. We talked about what to do for the players to recover better, and they told me that they are all fine and that they can play every 2-3 days.
“I leave it in their hands,” Flick stated.
Barcelona will look to navigate this difficult stretch as they aim to secure vital points in their pursuit of La Liga glory, but they will have to start without Raphinha and Ronald Araujo against Osasuna.
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