Barcelona loanee Marcus Rashford is a doubt for the club’s return to Camp Nou on Saturday, but Raphinha is expected to return in some capacity.
Rashford has been in stellar form for the Catalans this season with 14 goal contributions in all competitions (six goals, eight assists). Manager Hansi Flick revealed in his pregame press conference that the forward is under the weather. “... He was out yesterday and today. There are some doubts if he is back tomorrow.”
Barça did receive some good news as Raphinha is scheduled to return. The star Brazilian attacker has been sidelined for over two months with a hamstring injury. Rashford has primarily filled in for Raphinha, though it remains to be seen how involved the latter is come Saturday.
“I appreciate a lot what he can give the team. We will see tomorrow if 10, 15 or 20 minutes, but he’s back and it’s a big step for him to come back and be on the bench tomorrow,” Flick said.
Barcelona Close to Overcoming Early Injury Crisis
The reigning La Liga champions dealt with a flurry of injuries earlier in the season headlined by Lamine Yamal’s recurring groin problem. As they get set to welcome fans back to Camp Nou, Flick is close to having a fully fit squad once again.
The German manager revealed Yamal is progressing well and said missing Spain’s final World Cup qualifiers was a “good decision.” The two-time Kopa Trophy winner should feature on Saturday against Athletic Club.
Summer signing Joan García is also expected to return in goal marking his first appearance since Sept. 25. The Spaniard has recovered from a meniscus tear that saw him miss nine games across La Liga and the Champions League.
Pedri is also close, though Flick targeted next week’s Champions League tie against Chelsea for his reintroduction.
The Catalans are still missing Gavi, who is not expected to return until early 2026, while Frenkie de Jong is suspended for the clash after being shown two yellow cards against Celta Vigo.
Saturday’s Match Brings End to 909-Day Wait
Barcelona will play a game at their partially renovated Camp Nou for the first time in 909 days when they host Athletic Club.
La Liga’s reigning champions were originally set to return in 2024, but multiple missed deadlines and regulations continuously pushed their homecoming back. Barcelona held an open training session in October as a test-run before confirming Nov. 22 as the grand reopening.
Their Phase 1A and 1B licenses allow for up to 45,401 spectators, less than half of the proposed 105,000 once construction fully wraps up.
“It’s a football stadium and this is what we love, so of course we are all happy to be back in out stadium. It can give us a really big push in the match because it’s very close and the fans know when the team needs this push,” Flick said.
Barcelona are yet to receive approval from UEFA to host their upcoming Champions League match against Eintracht Frankfurt at Camp Nou.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Hansi Flick Confirms Five Major Barcelona Changes for Camp Nou Reopening.
