Khaberni - Markus Sorg, Barcelona's assistant coach, confirmed on Saturday that his team will face league leaders Real Madrid in a summit of the Spanish top division football league tomorrow Sunday at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium without their Brazilian forward Raphinha, with the Catalan team suffering from a long injury list.
Raphinha (28 years old), who has not yet recovered from a leg muscle injury, joined a large group of prominent absentees including Dani Olmo, Robert Lewandowski, Gavi, and goalkeepers Juan Garcia and Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
With 10 players being sidelined since last August, the injury crisis Barcelona faces has left the team severely depleted ahead of one of the season's most crucial matches.
Despite Raphinha's setback, the title holder remains optimistic about its ability to rely on prominent players Ferran Torres, Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen, and Frenkie de Jong who all participated in the team's practice on Saturday.
Sorg said in a press conference, "Any team would miss Raphinha but this is the situation currently. He is injured."
"We will see if Ferran (Torres) will start the match and we will decide that tomorrow. Jules Kounde also trained this morning and might participate. I still do not know the starting lineup."
Torres left the Spain camp early due to leg muscle fatigue, while de Jong missed three training sessions this week due to illness, and Kounde had to leave the pitch during the 6-1 win over Olympiakos in last week's Champions League after a bruise to the leg.
The injuries add to the complexity of selecting a lineup in the crucial match against Real Madrid, who are two points ahead of second-place Barcelona after 8 matches.
Hansi Flick suspended after his ejection
Sorg will be in charge of the team tomorrow Sunday due to Barcelona coach Hansi Flick being suspended after his ejection during the 2-1 win over Girona in the league on October 18 due to his alleged protest of the referee’s decisions in the last minutes of the match.
Sorg acknowledged that Flick's absence would be felt but insisted the team is still prepared.
"We will always miss Flick because he is one of the key elements of the team. I believe that his presence on the sidelines gives the players confidence and they trust him as well. His absence is impactful. But Flick is in a good mood, positive and excited."
Despite the growing challenges, Sorg expressed confidence in leading this prestigious match.
Barcelona has achieved four consecutive victories over Real Madrid in three competitions last season, scoring 16 goals including a 4-0 victory in Santiago Bernabeu and a 5-2 win in the Super Cup final.
Sorg, who will face Real Madrid's new coach Xabi Alonso, said "It’s an honor to be on the bench leading this team. It will be a tough match, and I hope we can show our strength.
"Real Madrid has made significant progress from last season, pushing hard throughout the field, and I think that has changed (from last season). No one knows what might happen in Santiago Bernabeu.. We have to control our emotions, and we are ready for the match."
