One Blow After Another: Barcelona Lose Two More Stars

Defending La Liga champions Barcelona were already grappling with an injury-hit squad. Now, they face further setbacks as Brazilian forward Raphinha and goalkeeper Juan García have sustained injuries. Both were hurt during last Thursday’s 3-1 La Liga victory over Real Oviedo and are confirmed to miss the upcoming Champions League clash against PSG.

Injury Details and Expected Absences

Barcelona confirmed the updates in a statement on their official website. Raphinha’s hamstring injury could sideline him for nearly three weeks, while García will undergo surgery on his left knee meniscus, keeping him out for at least four to six weeks. Spanish media reported that García injured himself during training on Friday.

Raphinha played a crucial role in Barcelona’s La Liga and Copa del Rey title wins last season. His absence in upcoming fixtures is a significant blow for coach Hansi Flick. Barcelona’s upcoming fixtures include:

• Sunday, La Liga: vs Real Sociedad
• Thursday, Champions League: vs PSG

García joined Barcelona this season from Espanyol and has been starting regularly amidst a squad of older and more experienced goalkeepers. In his absence, veteran goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny could step in. Another goalkeeper, Marc-André ter Stegen, is already sidelined due to injury.

Other Injuries in the Squad

• Midfielders Gavi Páez and Fermín López were recently sidelined due to injuries.
• Raphinha and García now join the list of injured players, adding to Barcelona’s challenges.

Amidst the string of injuries, there is some encouraging news. Ahead of the Real Sociedad fixture, star forward Lamine Yamal and defender Alejandro Balde have returned to training after recovering from injuries. They may feature in the starting eleven in the upcoming match, providing some relief to Flick and his squad.