FC Barcelona suffered a significant setback last night, losing 4-0 to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final.
As they process this defeat, the Blaugrana must quickly shift their focus to the Catalan derby against Girona set for Monday night.
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Raphinha Set for Return
In the lead-up to the clash with Michel’s Girona, Barcelona received encouraging news regarding their injury situation.
According to Javi Miguel of AS, Hansi Flick should have one of his key players, Raphinha, available for the derby.
The Brazilian international returned to training on Friday, participating in part of the session with the substitutes and is expected to join the full squad on Saturday.
Raphinha is set to return, but Rashford will not play against Girona. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
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However, his recovery faced some setbacks, causing him to miss the Copa del Rey matches against Albacete and Atletico Madrid, as well as a league fixture against Mallorca.
Nonetheless, Raphinha is anticipated to be back for the match against Girona, with medical clearance expected by Monday, allowing him to travel to Estadi Montilivi.
Rashford Still Unavailable
In contrast, Marcus Rashford has not yet fully recovered. The English forward sustained a knee issue due to an awkward movement during last weekend’s game against Mallorca.
This injury kept him out of the match against Atletico Madrid, and he has not yet returned to training, casting doubt on his participation against Girona.
Additionally, Pedri will also be absent. He is expected to make his return for the match against Levante on February 22 at Spotify Camp Nou. Gavi and Andreas Christensen will also be sidelined.