Marcus Rashford ruled out of Atletico Copa del Rey tie as Barcelona issue injury update

Barcelona have confirmed that on-loan forward Marcus Rashford will sit out Thursday’s Copa del Rey quarter-final first-leg visit of Atlético Madrid after sustaining a blow to his left knee in the weekend victory over Mallorca.

The 27-year-old missed Wednesday’s final training session at Ciutat Esportiva and the club subsequently released a short medical bulletin explaining the decision to withdraw him as a precaution. “First team player Marcus Rashford is experiencing discomfort in his left knee resulting from a blow received during the match against Mallorca. He is ruled out as a precautionary measure for tomorrow’s match against Atlético de Madrid,” the statement read.

Rashford’s absence compounds an increasingly complex selection puzzle for the Catalan side, who are also expected to be without Raphinha. The Brazilian winger, diagnosed with an overload injury, has not trained since being forced off in the closing stages of the previous Copa fixture and has already sat out the last two matches. Medical staff have yet to clear him to return to full sessions, leaving the coaching staff to weigh further conservative treatment ahead of a congested run that sees Barça host Atlético on Thursday and travel to Girona for a league encounter next Monday.

With two senior wide options sidelined, minutes are likely to fall to younger squad members and versatile midfielders who can operate in advanced roles. The club did not place a timeline on either player’s recovery, but the emphasis on “precautionary” measures suggests Rashford could return quickly if his knee responds to treatment.

Barcelona enter the tie looking to secure a first-leg advantage before the return at the Metropolitano, mindful that progression would edge them closer to a trophy that has eluded them since the 2020-21 campaign.