Barcelona vs Osasuna: Why Raphinha and Ronald Araujo are not playing against Osasuna?

Osasuna will visit Barcelona for a rescheduled La Liga clash at the Olimpic Lluis Companys Stadium on Thursday (March 27). The fixture was delayed earlier this month following the passing of Barcelona’s club doctor, Carles Minarro.

However, the Catalan side faces challenges with player availability. Key players Raphinha and Ronald Araujo are unavailable due to their late returns from international duty. Additionally, young defender Pau Cubarsi is a doubt after sustaining an ankle injury during Spain's Nations League quarter-final.

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick also expressed concerns over the congested schedule and the limited recovery period for players returning from international duty. Despite the challenges, Flick remains confident in the team's readiness and depth to secure a positive result against Osasuna.

Barcelona vs Osasuna: Why Raphinha Will Not Play Today?

Raphinha featured for Brazil in the recent CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers, playing the full 90 minutes in a 4-1 defeat to Argentina. Raphinha's absence is a significant loss for Barcelona’s attack, given his impressive contributions this season.

In La Liga alone, he has participated in all 27 matches, starting 26 of them, and has been directly involved in numerous goals and assists. This match marks the first time this season that Raphinha will miss a league game.

Barcelona vs Osasuna: Why Ronald Araujo Will Miss Today's La Liga Clash?

Similarly, Araujo was involved with the Uruguay national team during the international break. The short turnaround time between these international commitments and the upcoming club match has necessitated their omission from the squad to allow for adequate rest and recovery.

In Araujo's absence, Flick has confirmed that the central defensive partnership will consist of Eric Garcia and Inigo Martinez. Young defender Pau Cubarsi, who recently dealt with an ankle injury, is included in the squad but is expected to start from the bench.

Barcelona will look to leverage their squad depth to compensate for these absences as they aim to secure a victory and strengthen their position at the top of the La Liga standing.