Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has confirmed that winger Raphinha and defender Ronald Araujo will miss the rescheduled La Liga fixture against Osasuna on Thursday.
The duo were recently involved in South American World Cup qualifiers, and Flick emphasized the importance of allowing them to recover from their demanding games and long flights back to Spain.
The match against Osasuna was initially postponed on March 8 following the death of one of Barcelona’s doctors. Despite an appeal to further delay the game, the fixture will go ahead as planned this week.
“They will not play; they are not in the team,” Flick stated in a press conference. “They have a long flight, and it’s not the best way to recover.” Raphinha started for Brazil in their heavy 4-1 loss to Argentina, while Araujo remained on the bench for Uruguay’s goalless draw with Bolivia.
Flick also voiced his displeasure with the congested schedule, citing Barcelona’s upcoming La Liga fixture against Leganes on April 12 and their Champions League quarter-final second leg against Borussia Dortmund on April 15. He expressed frustration, particularly with the late-night scheduling of matches that impacts player recovery.
Despite these challenges, Flick remains confident in his team’s ability to secure three points against Osasuna. “Always no excuses, we go for it,” Flick said. “We have big, big quality in this team… We’re looking forward and are very positive.”
Flick confirmed that Inigo Martinez will start after being absent from the Spanish national squad, while Pau Cubarsi is fit enough for the bench after recovering from an injury sustained on international duty.