FC Barcelona manager Hansi Flick welcomed back a full contingent of returning international players during Thursday’s training session at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, according to club reports covered by Mundo Deportivo. The group reintegrated into first-team training following nearly three weeks away on international duty, providing the coaching staff with a significantly larger squad ahead of Saturday’s LaLiga fixture against Getafe at 18:30 local time.
International Players Return to Training
Flick managed a depleted group of players over the preceding fortnight due to 17 international call-ups across the squad, as detailed by Mundo Deportivo. Thursday’s session marked the return of Spanish internationals Pau Cubarsí, Pedri, Rodri, Dani Olmo, Fermín López, and Lamine Yamal, alongside England’s Anthony Gordon and Croatia’s Dominik Livaković. Diario AS noted that Eric García has also been training normally since Monday while wearing a protective face mask after shaking off minor discomfort.
The coaching staff now faces the challenge of managing accumulated physical fatigue among players who endured vastly different workloads while representing their countries. According to Mundo Deportivo’s tracking of international minutes, goalkeeper Dominik Livaković led all returning players with 360 minutes played, followed by João Cancelo with 306 minutes, Lamine Yamal with 281 minutes, Pau Cubarsí with 270 minutes, Rodri with 256 minutes, and Anthony Gordon with 221 minutes. Flick must evaluate each player individually to balance collective match fitness against the demands of a congested upcoming schedule featuring six matches in just over three weeks, as reported by Mundo Deportivo.
Flick Assesses Raphinha for Saturday Match
Forward Raphinha remains a primary doubt for Saturday’s match after returning early from international duty with the Brazil national team due to right thigh discomfort sustained against Australia on September 29, Mundo Deportivo reported. The forward has adhered to an individual recovery protocol in the gymnasium throughout the week. Diario AS corroborated that Raphinha returned to the club alongside Eric García with minor issues. Flick will use Friday’s final training session to assess the forward’s recovery and determine whether to include him in the matchday squad, weighing the risks of rushing back a player who has recorded 14 goals and three assists across eight official appearances this season, according to Mundo Deportivo.
De Jong Training Progression
Midfielder Frenkie de Jong marked his ongoing return to full fitness by participating in Thursday’s session. Diario AS noted that a severe storm in Barcelona on Monday altered initial training plans, keeping De Jong in the gym, but the Dutch midfielder has since resumed partial integration. The club intends to manage his recovery cautiously without accelerating his return to a leading role.
Reports Conflict over Joan García Fitness
The status of goalkeeper Joan García remains uncertain for Saturday’s fixture against Getafe, with conflicting reports emerging from local sports media regarding his readiness. Diario AS reported that the goalkeeper continues to experience residual pain in his right knee stemming from an injury suffered on September 16 against Racing de Santander, which forced him to miss the second half of that match and the subsequent fixture against Sevilla. While Mundo Deportivo reported that García has trained normally with the group since Wednesday and is expected by the locker room to start, Marca highlighted that his inclusion depends entirely on his pain threshold and the monitoring of a persistent knee edema.
Marca noted that the final decision rests with the player himself based on his physical sensations during Friday’s and Saturday’s training sessions. If García cannot pass the fitness test, Croatia international Dominik Livaković is expected to stand in goal, mirroring his appearance against Sevilla prior to the international break, according to Marca and Diario AS. Diario AS added that alternative backup Wojciech Szczęsny has lost ground in the rotation relative to Livaković, who conceded 14 goals during Croatia’s four UEFA Nations League matches.
Barcelona Host Getafe Before Three Away Matches
FC Barcelona will host Getafe on Saturday at 18:30 local time at the Spotify Camp Nou for the eighth matchday of LaLiga EA Sports, as outlined by Notimérica. Following this home fixture, Notimérica reported that the Catalan side faces a demanding run of three consecutive away matches against Galatasaray, Real Betis and Paris Saint-Germain.
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