Two days prior to El Clasico, Hansi Flick finds his Barcelona contingent in dire straits as they are hit with yet another injury setback. This time, it's their Brazilian lynchpin Raphinha, who missed training on Friday, and doubts have been cast over his involvement against Real Madrid on Sunday.
Raphinha misses training amid hamstring concerns
With three goals and two assists in six La Liga matches, Raphinha was off to a blistering start this season, carrying on the red hot form that brought him a fifth-place in the Ballon d'Or rankings for last season. However, he was sidelined with a hamstring injury in late September and missed one month of action. According to , he entered the club's training ground on Friday but did not join his team-mates as the session began. Instead, he will undergo tests amid fears of a relapse on his hamstring issue as the club await further news before making a decision on his availability for Sunday's game at the Santiago Bernabeu. , meanwhile, claims that he has already been ruled out by the Catalan side and if their suspicions are confirmed, he faces another month on the sidelines.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportKounde also a worry for Barcelona
Apart from Raphinha, full-back Jules Kounde's participation in Sunday's mega encounter hangs in the air. He too, did not train on Friday after feeling some physical discomfort for a few days after sustaining a knock and has been confined to working out in the gym for the past two days. His involvement depends on the final training session on Saturday, and if he is not declared fit by the medical team, Flick may have to call on Ronald Araujo or Eric Garcia to compensate for his absence. Dani Olmo, Gavi and Joan Garcia are all absent.
Barca welcome back De Jong and Torres
Frenkie de Jong and attacker Ferran Torres are back in the mix for Barca. While the Dutch midfielder was suffering from gastroenteritis, Torres has completely recovered from the muscle injury he sustained while with the Spain national team. After spending the 6-1 win against Olympiacos on the bench, it is not known if he is ready to start in the Spanish capital. De Jong, a vital cog in Flick's team and held in high regard, will be expected to start on Sunday.
Polish forward Robert Lewandowski will not be available; however, his recovery is going smoothly, and he could be back before the Catalans face Elche in early November.
Getty Images SportClasico clash coming up for Hansi Flick's men
Like they did against Olympiacos midweek, Barca could opt to use Fermin Lopez and Lamine Yamal on the flanks and Marcus Rashford as the centre-forward. The English international scored twice in the Champions League win, and has now 11 goal contributions for the Catalan club. Swedish winger Roony Bardghji, who provided an assist against Olympiacos, could also be an option on the flanks.
The six-star performance against the Greek side has lifted the morale inside the camp and provided a boost to the players ahead of taking on the league leaders Madrid, who have two points more than them. A win in the Clasico could boost the players' motivation and also put them in pole position for the time being. Last season, Barca managed to defeat Los Blancos in every encounter, a feat that is usually not seen. This term, under new manager Xabi Alonso, Madrid have started their La Liga journey pretty well, with eight wins and a loss so far.