In less than a week, 4 Barcelona pillars have been injured in turn, leaving a big gap in this challenging period of the season.
First, Fermin Lopez suffered a groin injury and had to miss 3 weeks. Most seriously, Gavi was diagnosed with a torn knee cartilage, forced to undergo surgery and is expected to be absent for at least 5 months. Not stopping there, in the 3-1 victory over Real Oviedo, Raphinha left the field with a hamstring injury. Goalkeeper Joan Garcia also suffered a hamstring injury after a save. Despite the better level than Gavi, Garcia still had to rest for 4 - 6 weeks.
In that context, Barca must prepare for a series of important matches when hosting PSG in the Champions League, then visit El Clasico on October 26. The mild pain of Alejandro Balde and Lamine Yamal has made fans even more worried. Fortunately, Yamal was able to return last weekend, while Balde was expected to return against PSG.
Barca's internal source said that the source of the current injury storm is the resonance between a tight schedule with 7 matches in just 21 days. That is also the reason why captain Hansi Flick was determined to keep him in the summer transfer window, despite speculation about letting Fermin Lopez or Marc Casado leave.
The confrontation with Real Sociedad last weekend brought a moment of relief. Lamine Yamal has just returned from injury, taking just 30 seconds to make a difference after coming on.
Receiving the ball on the right wing, Lamine Yamal beat Sergio Gomez and then fired an accurate cross for Robert Lewandowski to score the decisive goal, bringing home a 2-1 victory. A move that fully demonstrated the speed, technique and acumen in creating a breakthrough for the star born in 2007.
That victory helped Barcelona temporarily overcome Real Madrid to take the top spot in La Liga, right after their arch-rivals stumbled against Atletico. For Yamal, it was an affirmation that he was ready to shoulder great responsibility, right when Barca needed him most. The EURO 2024 champion will almost certainly start against PSG, in the context that coach Hansi Flick wants to take advantage of his student's brilliant form.
Not only Yamal, Pedri is also playing at the peak of his career, coordinating the line smoothly and effectively. Marcus Rashford continued to improve by adding 1 assist, bringing his total goalscoring total to 6 (2 goals, 4 assists) in the last 5 matches.
Before the FIFA Days in September, the atmosphere at Barca was still gloomy when captain Hansi Flick publicly criticized the players' attitudes after the draw with Rayo Vallecano. However, since then, the Blaugrana have won five in a row, showing a marked change.
Despite being plagued by injuries, the Catalan team still has a solid right axis with Yamal, Pedri and Frenkie de Jong. With this trio, the German coach believes Barca is capable of facing any team at the moment.
Hansi Flick still has to make some difficult decisions for this match. Will the attack prioritize Robert Lewandowski or Ferran Torres? In defense, will Ronald Araujo or Eric Garcia pair up with Pau Cubarsi? Meanwhile, Rashford is almost certain to take the left wing thanks to his stable performance.
The victory over Real Sociedad could not hide the backstage troubles. Barcelona have yet to return to Camp Nou despite repeated urging and affirming that this is the safest stadium in Spain. The Barcelona City Council disagreed, saying it had not met safety standards.
Therefore, Barca still have to play at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, a stadium that has been used for the last 2 seasons. This is also the place to welcome PSG tonight. The match against Girona on October 18 is still unknown, but it is likely that Barca will not be able to return to Camp Nou until the blue light is on. Playing at Lluis Companys has a little impact on the atmosphere, but the capacity of more than 50,000 seats is still a much more feasible choice than Johan Cruyff Stadium with only 6,000 seats.
In addition, another concern for fans is the list of how the Spanish national team will be called up next Friday. Many Barca leaders hope that coach Luis de la Fuente will not call Lamine Yamal, so that this young talent has time to rest and avoid being overloaded during the difficult period.
