Barcelona coach Hansi Flick lamented more bad news after Marcus Rashford joined Raphinha on the injury list for Thursday’s Copa del Rey semifinal first leg against Atlético Madrid.
Rashford took a knock to his knee during Saturday’s LaLiga win against Mallorca and Barça say he will miss this week’s trip to the Metropolitano as a “precaution.”
“We have some problems with the team, Marcus is not able to play either now,” Flick said in a news conference on Wednesday.
“He got a hit, so it’s painful and we have to take care. This is not good news, but I believe in my team, even if the situation is not easy.”
Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, is not expected to be out for a significant period, but there remains uncertainty over when Raphinha will return from a thigh problem.
Barça — who are also without Pedri, Gavi and Andreas Christensen through injury — said the Brazilian would be out for a week, but that was 10 days ago and there are still no signs of him returning to training.
“Step by step,” Flick added when asked about Raphinha’s recovery. “We have to take care of him. He’s a player who is always giving everything, high intensity in the game.
“When he feels something, we have to take care, maybe go one step back. This is the situation. Of course I am not happy because we need him, Pedri, Gavi, Andreas and Marcus, but we have to manage it.”
Barça’s run to the last four of the Copa has seen them beat Guadalajara, Racing Santander and Albacete, who had knocked out Real Madrid in the previous round.
Atlético, therefore, will be the first team they face from LaLiga in the competition this season, although Flick knocked back the idea that devalues what they have achieved so far.
“Ask Real Madrid,” he quipped back when asked if not facing top flight opposition so far stripped importance away from their cup run.
The second leg will not be played until March 3 at Spotify Camp Nou, with the winners meeting either Real Sociedad or Athletic Club, who play their first leg on Wednesday, in the final in April.