Flick Confirms Raphinha, De Jong Return

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick confirmed on Friday that star forward Raphinha and midfielder Frenkie de Jong have recovered from injuries and are available to face Real Betis on Saturday.

Barcelona enter the tough La Liga fixture in Seville boasting a 100 per cent win record across all competitions this season.

Raphinha, who has scored 14 goals in eight appearances this term, missed recent victories against Getafe and Galatasaray following an injury on international duty.

Addressing Raphinha’s eager return, Flick noted, “If you ask him, he’ll tell you he’s ready to start, but we’re taking things step by step. We have a lot of games in a short space of time, and we need to manage that.”

Meanwhile, De Jong is poised for his first appearance of the season after sidelined recovery from a World Cup knee injury.

“He gives us another option in midfield, and we’ll see how he progresses,” Flick stated regarding the Dutch international. He’s training well and is ready to get some minutes. He looks very focused, and he’s a top player.”

Their return provides crucial relief for 19-year-old winger Lamine Yamal, who has carried an extensive workload by playing full matches in eight of Barcelona’s ten fixtures this season.

Acknowledging Yamal’s heavy minutes ahead of key clashes against Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, Flick emphasised, “He’s a special player. We have to manage his minutes, but the important thing is that he enjoys playing.”