Barcelona hit by another injury blow as Robert Lewandowski ruled out of Atletico tie

Barcelona’s uphill battle in the Copa del Rey has grown even steeper after the club confirmed that star striker Robert Lewandowski will miss Tuesday’s decisive second-leg clash against Atlético Madrid. The 34-year-old sustained a traumatic injury during Saturday’s league meeting with Villarreal, and subsequent tests revealed a fracture to the inner side of the left orbital bone, the club announced on Sunday.

Already trailing 4-0 from the first leg at the Metropolitano, Hansi Flick’s side must now attempt an historic comeback without their most prolific finisher. Lewandowski joins midfielder Frenkie de Jong on the sidelines, stripping the Blaugrana of two first-choice starters for the high-stakes encounter at Spotify Camp Nou.

With Lewandowski unavailable, Ferran Torres is poised to lead the line, although on-loan forward Marcus Rashford offers an alternative central option. The development places greater creative responsibility on teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, who arrives in buoyant mood after scoring a hat-trick in his most recent outing. Pedri’s return to fitness also provides a timely boost to a midfield charged with supplying ammunition for the makeshift attack.

Despite the mounting adversity, Barcelona insist they have “not given up hope” of overturning the four-goal deficit and keeping their domestic cup ambitions alive.