Barcelona will be without Marcus Rashford and Raphinha for the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg against Atletico Madrid

Barcelona face a challenging task in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg against Atletico Madrid on Thursday, as manager Hansi Flick confirmed that both Marcus Rashford and Raphinha are unavailable due to injuries.

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Raphinha remains sidelined with a thigh strain, while Rashford did not train on Wednesday because of a knee problem sustained during Barca’s 3-0 La Liga victory over Real Mallorca on Saturday.

“Marcus is not able to play, he got a hit, and it’s painful, and we have to take care about this,” Hansi Flick told reporters.

He added, “I think this is not good news, but in the end I believe in my team always. When it’s like this, the situation is not easy, we grow, and this is also necessary for tomorrow.”

Regarding Raphinha, the coach emphasised the need for careful management of the player’s recovery.

“He’s a player who is always giving everything, always playing at high intensity. When you feel something, we have to take care and maybe go one step back,” he said.

To cover the absence on the left wing, Barcelona could deploy Ferran Torres or Dani Olmo out of position.

The squad is also without Pedri, Gavi, and Andreas Christensen due to longer-term injuries.

Meanwhile, defender Ronald Araujo, who took a month-long mental health break towards the end of 2025, opened up about struggling with anxiety and depression over the past 18 months.

Nagelsmann praised the Uruguayan centre-back’s resilience, adding, “He is very strong, so to be open about this means you have to be strong in this moment. It’s all about us who are responsible for the players. We have to take care of them.”

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Barcelona will hope their remaining squad can step up at Atletico’s Metropolitano stadium despite the mounting injury concerns.