‘It’s not good news’ – Hansi Flick offers update on Marcus Rashford and Raphinha injuries after Barcelona duo ruled out of Atlético Madrid tie

Barcelona will face Atlético Madrid in Thursday night’s Copa del Rey semi-final first leg without two of their most influential forwards, after head coach Hansi Flick confirmed that Raphinha and Marcus Rashford have both been ruled out through injury.

Raphinha will sit out his third consecutive match as he continues to recover from an adductor problem, while Rashford has been left out as a precaution after sustaining a knee knock during the weekend victory over Mallorca. Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Flick admitted the timing is far from ideal.

“We’ve had some problems. Rashford isn’t ready; he took a knock. It’s not good news, but I believe in my team,” the German coach said. “The situation isn’t easy. We’re playing against a fantastic team. I saw the Cup match against Betis, and it was impressive. Cholo is doing a great job at Atlético. I really appreciate what I saw. It will be a tough match tomorrow.”

Flick emphasised that the medical staff will not rush either player back, stressing the importance of long-term fitness over short-term gain. “Step by step. We have to take care of him. He’s a player who gives his all, with great intensity. If he feels something, we have to be careful. This is the situation. I’m not happy because we need him, like Pedri, Gavi, Andreas, or Marcus.”

With Raphinha and Rashford unavailable, Barcelona will travel to the Metropolitano with only four natural attackers at Flick’s disposal: Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, Ferran Torres and teenage debutant Roony Bardghji. The coach, however, remains confident that the versatility of Dani Olmo and Fermín López can provide additional firepower on the left flank, where both injured stars normally operate.

The absences compound an already challenging week for the Catalan club, who must now find a way past a disciplined Atlético side that has impressed in recent domestic cup action. Flick’s men will need to summon collective resilience to secure a positive result ahead of next week’s return leg at Montjuïc.