Barcelona projected lineup vs Atlético Madrid

Still without Frenkie de Jong and dealing with the major blow of losing Raphinha for the next five weeks due to a right hamstring injury, FC Barcelona travel to face Atlético de Madrid this Saturday at 3 PM ET in the first clash of a three game series against the Madrid side.

The Brazilian winger’s absence is a significant setback for Hansi Flick, and Marcus Rashford is emerging as the leading candidate to take over on the left wing. Alternatives include Fermín López and Dani Olmo, while Flick also mentioned Gavi as an option out wide.

As for De Jong, the Dutch midfielder continues his individualized recovery work in the gym, separate from the group. The club is closely monitoring his progress in the coming days to determine whether he will be available for the upcoming Champions League quarterfinal against Atlético. Andreas Christensen will also miss out.

On a more positive note, the returns of Jules Koundé and Alejandro Balde will help reinforce the defense. Both full backs have recovered well from their muscle injuries and trained with the squad this week, although they are expected to start on the bench after their recent inactivity.

Looking at the likely lineup, Ronald Araújo is set to feature at right back ahead of Eric García, who had been dealing with physical issues prior to the international break. The Uruguayan would form part of a back line alongside Pau Cubarsí, Gerard Martín, and João Cancelo, although the latter faces added fatigue after a long transoceanic trip back to Barcelona following international duty.

The double pivot appears settled with Marc Bernal and Pedri, while Lamine Yamal and Fermín, either as an attacking midfielder or left winger, look like near guaranteed starters for Flick.

Up front, Ferran Torres could retain his place in the starting lineup ahead of Robert Lewandowski. The Valencia native started both legs of the Copa del Rey quarterfinal tie, while the Polish striker missed the second leg at Spotify Camp Noudue to a facial fracture suffered against Villarreal.

Barcelona will go all in for the win in a bid to make a statement in the title race, while keeping one eye on their upcoming Champions League showdown against Atlético Madrid, which is just around the corner.