Marcus Rashford and Roony Bardghji will return to the Barcelona starting lineup when they take on Slavia Praha at Fortuna Arena on Wednesday.
Barcelona will be eager to bounce back to winning ways and return to the top eight of the UEFA Champions League standings when they lock horns with Slavia Praha at the Fortuna Arena on Wednesday night. Hansi Flick has received a mixed bag of updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Raphinha is fit and available to take on Slavia Praha on Wednesday after recovering from a minor issue. However, Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres are not in the travelling squad, as the former will serve a suspension, while the latter sustained a muscular injury this past weekend against Real Sociedad. Marc-Andre ter Stegen is also not in the group, as he has joined Girona on loan until the end of the 2025/26 season.
Torres has joined Gavi and Andreas Christensen in the treatment room, with the duo recovering from their knee injuries. Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, Flick explained ter Stegen’s absence while discussing if Roony Bardghji would replace Yamal. The German tactician also provided a fitness update on Raphinha.
The Barcelona boss said, “Is it confirmed yet? Did Balde confirm it? (laughs). This morning, Marc told us he’s going to Girona. He’s a great goalkeeper, and we wish him all the best. He’s a magnificent goalkeeper and he needed to play to be able to go to the World Cup this summer.”
“He [Bardghji] has played very well in the matches he’s played. When he’s been on the pitch, he’s performed very well. His position isn’t easy because it’s the position Lamine plays. We’ll see if he plays tomorrow. I hope Raphinha can play tomorrow.”
Joan Garcia is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Barcelona lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him against Slavia Praha on Wednesday. The backline will feature Jules Kounde, Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, and Alejandro Balde.
As for the midfield unit, Pedri and Frenkie de Jong will pair up in the double pivot, with Fermin Lopez reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Robert Lewandowski will lead the line for the away side against Slavia Praha, with Marcus Rashford and Roony Bardghji being the two wide attackers. So, Raphinha will be a backup option on the bench.
Predicted Barcelona XI: Joan Garcia; Kounde, Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Balde; Pedri, de Jong; Bardghji, Fermin, Rashford; Lewandowski