Barcelona: Raphinha and García, injured; Yamal and Balde, ready

More bad news for Barcelona: Raphinha and García join the list of injured

Barcelona faces new setbacks on the injury front, with the absence of Raphinha and Joan García being confirmed for a considerable time. These absences add to the already known absence of Gavi, who will be out of action for five months, and Fermín López, who will be out for three weeks due to muscle problems. Raphinha will be out for three weeks due to a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, goalkeeper García will be out for up to six weeks due to a meniscus problem in his knee. These players will miss Sunday’s match against Real Sociedad, the Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain next Wednesday, and the trip to Seville on October 5th.

Raphinha will miss Brazil’s friendlies against South Korea and Japan. In a more positive note, Lamine Yamal and Alejandro Balde trained on Friday and could rejoin the team this weekend against Real Sociedad. Raphinha suffered the injury in the 3-1 victory over Real Oviedo on Thursday, having to be substituted in the second half. The winger will miss Barça’s next three matches and Brazil’s friendlies against South Korea and Japan next month. His possible return could be in the LaLiga match against Girona on October 18.

• De la Fuente: No interest in Flick’s complaints about Yamal
• Date of the first Clásico revealed
• Tebas: Yamal was only deprived of the Ballon d’Or due to his age

In the absence of Raphinha, Marcus Rashford, who arrived on loan from Manchester United in the summer, will have an extended opportunity to consolidate his position in the Barça attack. García, for his part, is unlikely to be back for the Clásico, with Wojciech Szczesny set to take his place.

“García has suffered a tear of the medial meniscus in his left knee,” reported Barça on Friday. “On Saturday, he will undergo an arthroscopic procedure by Dr. Joan Carles Monllau.”

FC Barcelona statement

García is expected to be out for four to six weeks, depending on his recovery. Midfielder López, like Raphinha, could return after the October international break, in time for the trip to Madrid on October 26, but Gavi, in addition to goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, are long-term absentees.