Although Barcelona’s injury problems this season pale in comparison to the ongoing crisis going on at Real Madrid, the issue cannot be understated either.
The Catalans have missed crucial players at key junctures, which has impacted the result of many key matches.
The likes of Ferran Torres, Ansu Fati, Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo have indeed spent time on the sidelines at some point or the other this season.
Flick’s goal for Barcelona injuries
Keeping that in mind, Hansi Flick has set an important target for Barcelona, as far as the injuries are concerned.
According to MARCA, Flick wants to end 2024 with just three injuries and not more than that.
Flick is keen on avoiding more injuries before the end of the year (Photo by Rafa Babot/Getty Images)
The three players in question are Ronald Araujo, Ansu Fati and Andreas Christensen. All of these three players have been recovering from a long-term injury.
Araujo is the closest to returning to full fitness as the key defender has already started training. Barcelona’s initial idea was to have him back for the next Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund.
However, for now, it remains unclear whether or not Araujo will be fit for that encounter and it appears fans may have to wait longer.
Christensen and Ansu, meanwhile, have no chance of coming back to the pitch by the end of the year, with Christensen, in particular, opting for surgery recently.
While the absence of Fati might not necessarily hurt Flick, the German could have definitively used the versatility of Christensen.
Araujo, meanwhile, will add an extra layer of aggression and leadership at the back when he returns, though it remains unclear as to how well he will fit into Flick’s high defensive line.