FC Barcelona manager Hansi Flick announced that none of the club’s six injured players will return in time to face Aston Villa in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, November 3. Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of the fourth-round fixture at the Spotify Camp Nou, Flick outlined recovery timelines that keep Andreas Christensen, Jules Koundé, Eric Garcia, Dani Olmo, Xavi Espart, and long-term absentee Roony Bardghji on the sidelines.
Who is available for Barcelona against Aston Villa?
With six first-team players unavailable due to injury, Flick must navigate a depleted squad against an Aston Villa side that has won its first three matches in the Champions League league phase. The defensive injuries have forced the coaching staff into makeshift solutions, utilizing players like Frenkie de Jong and Brian Fariñas in unfamiliar defensive roles during recent domestic fixtures.
Neither Barcelona nor Aston Villa have any players suspended for the continental clash. Unai Emery’s visiting squad arrives with confirmed medical absences of their own, including Ruggeri, Onana, and Wan-Bissaka.
What did Hansi Flick say about Andreas Christensen and the defensive injuries?
Andreas Christensen is the closest to a return among the injured defenders, having completed a portion of a possession drill in training before missing the subsequent full session. Flick urged caution regarding the defender’s recovery.
We have to wait,
Flick said regarding Christensen. Yesterday he only did a possession game, he was the joker. It’s a step, but we have to wait until the weekend.
Flick grouped Christensen’s potential return with upcoming fixtures, pointing toward a possible appearance against Atlético Madrid. Meanwhile, Jules Koundé continues individual work following an ankle injury, and Eric Garcia remains sidelined with a muscle injury.
When will Xavi Espart and Dani Olmo return to the squad?
Xavi Espart sustained a right ankle syndesmosis injury during the Clásico following a challenge with Aurélien Tchouaméni. The defender was seen wearing a protective boot during rehabilitation at the Ciutat Esportiva and faces an estimated seven-week recovery timeline, likely keeping him out until mid-December.
Dani Olmo continues his recovery from a left adductor injury suffered against Paris Saint-Germain, with an expected absence lasting approximately one month. Long-term absentee Roony Bardghji remains unavailable following a pre-season anterior cruciate ligament tear.
I hope that after the international break everyone is available, also Dani Olmo,
Flick stated. Maybe we will see Xavi Espart next year, in the first game. The rest I think will return and it will be a different situation.
How is Barcelona approaching the immediate schedule?
The Barcelona team enters the European fixture following a 6–1 victory over Alavés in LaLiga—featuring two goals from Raphinha, a brace from Lamine Yamal, and strikes from Fermín López and Anthony Gordon—which helped steady the team following defeats to PSG and Real Madrid. Flick acknowledged the external scrutiny surrounding those losses during his press conference.
No, it’s the reality, things are as they are and we have to prove it,
Flick said when asked about public doubt. We have played our best football, and there are no excuses. There are different results, but we are at the same level. I don’t like to look back, the most important thing is the next match, first the Villa and then Atlético.
Related reading
