Barca suffers a heavy blow ahead of a crucial Champions League match

Coach Hansi Flick is once again faced with unfortunate news before Barcelona’s key away fixture against Slavia Prague in the Champions League.

According to the club’s medical update, Barcelona confirmed that the Spanish international has encountered ca muscle injury, which will sideline him for about 10 days. Barcelona announced: “Raphinha has been cleared by the medical team to return to play, while Ferran Torres has suffered a semimembranosus muscle strain in his right leg and will be out for approximately 10 days."

The timing of Torres’s injury has caused particular concern for Coach Flick, especially given the congested schedule forcing him to rotate the squad. This season, Ferran Torres has played a vital role by frequently injecting energy off the bench or replacing key players. His absence removes an important tactical option just as the Champions League reaches a critical phase.

Barcelona’s difficulties are compounded as Lamine Yamal is suspended for one match after accumulating enough yellow cards. This young talent is one of the team’s most explosive players, capable of breaking defenses and unlocking opposition lines — a crucial element in Flick’s attacking system.

Replacing Yamal was already challenging, and it becomes even more problematic with Ferran Torres also unavailable. Additionally, Barcelona still lacks long-term injured players like Gavi and Andreas Christensen, who are not registered for this match. This string of absences forces Flick to rely heavily on the remaining key players and the enthusiasm of young talents from La Masia during this demanding away trip.

Amid the gloom caused by injuries and suspensions, Raphinha’s comeback is extremely important both mentally and tactically. He is likely to start on the wing to support Robert Lewandowski. Alongside Raphinha and Lewandowski, Marcus Rashford is expected to take on significant goal-scoring responsibilities, partially filling the gap left by Yamal. Furthermore, the inclusion of young talents like Roony Bardghji and Marc Bernal shows Flick’s readiness to depend on bench options to make a difference in the second half if necessary.

The circumstances of the match make Flick’s personnel decisions even more difficult. Under the new Champions League format, finishing in the top 8 during the league phase is crucial, as it allows teams to avoid the two-legged playoff round in February. Barcelona understands that dropping points against Slavia Prague could severely jeopardize their hopes of advancing directly to the round of 16.

At present, Barcelona holds 15th place with 10 points but still has a chance to break into the top 8 in the final two matches. Coach Flick admits this is a “decisive match,” where only a victory will allow the team to control their destiny. Slavia Prague’s home ground is known for its passionate atmosphere, and the Czech side will certainly try to exploit any weaknesses in Barcelona’s defense. Without two key forwards, the burden of scoring will fall on the returning Raphinha and veteran Lewandowski during a high-pressure night in Prague.