Flick Overcomes Injury Crisis at Barcelona

FC Barcelona managed to withstand the wave of injuries that hit the team at the start of the season, according to a report by the Spanish newspaper "Sport," which explained that while the injuries affected the team's performance, they did not deliver a knockout blow.

Despite the players having a summer full of rest and a complete preparation period before the season started, more than half of the team’s lineup has visited the medical clinic during the first three months, with 16 injuries recorded so far among 15 players. It is worth noting that Marc Bernal’s injury dates back to last season, but he missed the first three matches before receiving medical clearance.

As for the players who have not suffered any injuries this season, they are Szczęsny, Araújo, Kobarși, Gerard Martínez, Kondé, Eric García, Rashford, and Bárdy. It is worth noting that Rashford did not train with the team on Thursday and left the training center early today.

German coach Hans Flick was forced to give players like Pedri more playing time than he had intended, which led to a muscle injury for him. Meanwhile, Lamine Yamal suffered from hip pain, which was clearly evident in the match against Real Madrid. All areas of the team were affected by absences, but the most notable were in midfield and attack. In the final round, Flick had to use attacking midfielders Fermin and Olmo to cover for Casado's last-minute absence.

The absence of Lewandowski and Raphinha has clearly impacted the team's attacking strength. Although Rashford has been able to maintain a good level, the defensive work that Raphinha provides is irreplaceable, according to a report by the Spanish newspaper "Sport."