Barcelona faces yet another challenge ahead of their match against Osasuna.
Hansi Flick already had a difficult assignment on his hands, and the subsequent decision to schedule the game for March 27 has only made matters worse.
Both teams appealed against La Liga’s judgment, but it was maintained, placing Barcelona in a difficult predicament.
The fixture is scheduled immediately following the international break, complicating matters even further.
Ronald Araujo and Raphinha, two vital Barcelona players, will play for Uruguay and Brazil, respectively, less than 48 hours before the Osasuna match.
This implies they will have little to no recovery time before being asked to perform for their club.
To make matters worse, Inigo Martinez is out with a knee injury that is likely to last at least two to three weeks.
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Trouble for Flick and Barcelona?
Barcelona has 13 players on international duty, many of whom will play until Tuesday or Wednesday, giving them little preparation time before the Osasuna encounter.
While Real Madrid previously complained about playing 72 hours following a Champions League match, Barcelona’s predicament is far worse. According To Barca universal.
To make matters worse, Pau Cubarsi sprained his ankle during Spain’s play against the Netherlands. Although the injury is not significant, his availability for the Osasuna encounter is uncertain.
What are Flick’s options?
Flick now has only one completely fit center-back at his disposal: Eric Garcia. The likely absence of Cubarsi and Martinez leaves Barcelona with little defensive options.
There is a slim chance that Araujo would return early if he receives a yellow card in Uruguay’s first match against Argentina, which would result in a ban, allowing him to return to Barcelona sooner.
However, if he plays against Bolivia on Tuesday night, he would arrive in Spain late on Wednesday or early Thursday, exhausted and jet-lagged.
Meanwhile, Andreas Christensen has nearly recovered from his injury, but considering his history of fitness concerns, forcing him back into action would be a significant risk.
With such a tight timetable and few choices, Hansi Flick will need to make some tough decisions about his defensive setup for the Osasuna encounter.
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