Barcelona handed more bad news on Marcus Rashford ahead of Girona clash

Barcelona’s injury concerns have deepened ahead of Monday’s Catalan derby at Girona, with England forward Marcus Rashford expected to remain sidelined by the knee complaint that has already ruled him out of the mid-week defeat to Atlético Madrid. According to Mundo Deportivo, Rashford was not involved in training on Saturday, dashing hopes of a swift return for the on-loan attacker.

The 26-year-old, who has yet to feature under Hansi Flick since picking up the knock, now appears set to miss a second consecutive match, leaving the German coach short of options on the left flank. While Rashford’s rehabilitation drags on, there was better news regarding Raphinha, who rejoined the group session after sitting out the last three games and could be in contention to face Míchel’s side.

Barcelona will look to bounce back from Thursday’s disappointing result in the Spanish capital, where they surrendered momentum in the title race. Although the Blaugrana remain well-placed at the summit, they could be displaced later today if Real Madrid overcome Real Sociedad at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Flick is therefore eager to see an immediate response from his squad at Estadi Montilivi, where a victory would maintain pressure on their rivals and keep the club’s championship ambitions firmly on track.