FC Barcelona entered the international break with five players sidelined in the medical room, highlighting a recurring roster issue under manager Hansi Flick, according to a report by SPORT.
Roony Bardghji, Rodri, Dani Olmo, Xavi Espart, and Jules Koundé are out of action until further notice. SPORT reported that maintaining a crowded injury list has been a common pattern since Flick took over the managerial bench at the Catalan club, with very few members of the squad managing to emerge unscathed over the last three seasons.
Out of 23 footballers who have spent at least two full campaigns under the German coach’s orders, exactly two players have managed to avoid missing any match for Barcelona due to injury. That pair consists of central defenders Pau Cubarsí and Gerard Martín, who currently form the team’s defensive backline, SPORT reported.
Both defenders have dealt with minor physical discomfort, but neither ailment removed them from the team’s matchday dynamics. Cubarsí has made 117 appearances since the start of the 2024-25 season, missing just 16 games—two of which were due to suspension.
Cubarsí played through a reported ankle sprain sustained while on international duty in March 2025, avoiding any absence from club fixtures. Martín has logged 107 appearances during the same span, sitting out 25 matches strictly through technical decisions by the coaching staff, according to SPORT.
Martín suffered a metacarpal fracture after the season had already concluded, which did not affect his availability for Flick. Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny technically joins the defensive pair as an uninjured fixture, having arrived in January 2024 without sustaining a physical injury.
However, Szczęsny’s playing time remains much lower with 43 appearances, and his clean medical record comes with a caveat after he missed one match due to a viral gastroenteritis infection, SPORT noted.
High-profile contributors like Lamine Yamal, Pedri, and Fermín have not escaped physical setbacks. Yamal, Pedri, and Fermín are currently in full fitness, alongside twelve other squad members who remained available throughout the opening stretch of the campaign: Dominik Livakovic, Szczęsny, Alejandro Balde, Cubarsí, Martín, Joao Cancelo, Marc Bernal, Fariñas, Gordon, Karim Adeyemi, Gabriel Jesus, and Hamza.
Andreas Christensen has endured the toughest luck among the squad, spending 433 days sidelined with injuries—totaling more than a year away from the pitch. SPORT reported that Flick consistently showed confidence in the defender, but recurring physical interruptions prevented him from establishing sustained competitive rhythm.
Having only two high-participation players remain fully available throughout Flick’s tenure points to a deeper squad management challenge. Barcelona must reduce injuries before key matches despite a dense fixture calendar and the pressure to compete for every major trophy, SPORT reported.
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