Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has expressed his frustration as the club will be without the duo of Raphinha, and Ronald Araujo for their rescheduled La Liga clash against Osasuna on Thursday.
The match was originally set to hold on March 8 but it was postponed indefinitely following the death of the team’s Miñarro García, who died in his sleep in preparation for the game.
Barcelona and Osasuna wanted the game to be fixed between May 18, and 25. But the football authorities in Spain rejected this option, as it falls between La Liga’s 37th and 38th rounds.
Raphinha started Brazil’s 4-1 defeat to Argentina, while Ronald Araujo was on the bench in Uruguay’s goalless draw with Bolivia on Wednesday morning.
Flick has confirmed that both players won’t feature in the game due to travelling exhaustion.
“They will not play, they are not in the team, they have a long flight and it’s not the best way, because they have to recover.”
The former Bayern Munich is frustrated with the scheduling of the game, as well as another league clash against Leganes late on Saturday 12 April,
Barcelona will then take on Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League quarter final second leg clash on Tuesday 15 April.
Flick said: “When playing away, always at nine, we arrive late back in the night, it’s to do with recovery for the players.
“I am not happy with this. When you see other leagues with Champions League teams, it’s different here.”
“Always no excuses, we go for it. we will go for it, I think we have big, big quality in this team.
“We can win against everyone, even if some players are not in the team… we’re looking forward and are very positive.”
A win for Barcelona will move them three points clear of second-placed Real Madrid ahead of a busy title run in at the business end of the season .
The Blaugrana are currently still active in three competitions, in the Champions League, La Liga, and the Copa Del Rey.
We Can Win Without Raphinha, Araujo – Flicks Says Ahead of Osasuna Clash is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
Source: The Whistler
