Overview
- Flick, speaking Friday, said he and sporting director Deco let Raphinha stay in Brazil to clear his mind after a right hamstring injury on Brazil duty that is expected to sideline him for about five weeks.
- Raphinha will miss Barcelona’s LaLiga visit to Atlético and both Champions League quarterfinal legs against them, in what the coach described as a tough run that now needs careful squad management.
- Marcus Rashford is the leading option to fill the wide role, with Fermín López and Gavi also under consideration for minutes on the flank.
- Flick confirmed Jules Koundé, Alejandro Balde and Eric García are fit to return, and he expects Frenkie de Jong to rejoin full training next week.
- Barcelona hold a €30 million option to buy Rashford from Manchester United, and this spell could shape whether the club makes his loan permanent, even as President Joan Laporta blames FIFA’s calendar and Flick calls the injury nobody’s fault.