Ready to play: Raphinha should be back in Barcelona’s starting lineup to face Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-finals
REUTERS
Barcelona have Raphinha fit for their huge Copa del Rey semi-final second-leg decider away at Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night, but Dani Olmo is sidelined.
In-form winger Raphinha remained an unused substitute for Sunday’s 4-1 win over Girona in LaLiga, having also missed the rescheduled victory against Osasuna last week as he travelled back from international duty with Brazil.
Despite that, Barca boss Hansi Flick has said the former Leeds star is “absolutely” ready to face Atletico at the Metropolitano Stadium, with the two-legged last-four tie finely-poised at 4-4 after an eight-goal thriller in Catalonia back in February that saw Barcelona score four unanswered goals after conceding twice in the first six minutes before letting in two more late on.
Olmo, though, suffered a groin injury after scoring an early penalty against Osasuna and was later ruled out for approximately three weeks, much to Barcelona’s dismay amid a packed fixture schedule.
Teenage centre-back Pau Cubarsi is also fit to face Atletico having not been needed in the win over Osasuna and come on as a late substitute against Girona.
Dominant Barcelona - who have still yet to lose at all in 2025 - remain without Andreas Christensen, Marc Bernal and Marc Casado as well as goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who is in line to return at some point over the coming weeks having resumed light training following seven months out with a serious knee injury. Wojciech Szczesny will remain Flick’s No1 for now.
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Predicted Barcelona XI: Szczesny, Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Balde, De Jong, Gavi, Pedri, Yamal, Raphinha, Lewandowski
Injured: Olmo, Ter Stegen, Christensen, Bernal, Casado
As for Atletico Madrid, manager Diego Simeone has already confirmed that first-choice goalkeeper Jan Oblak will once again make way for deputy Juan Musso in the Copa del Rey.
Simeone has plenty of decisions to make elsewhere after a damaging winless run that has seen them fall nine points behind Barcelona - to whom they lost 4-2 at home on March 16 despite being 2-0 up with only 20 minutes to play - in what had been a fierce three-way LaLiga title race, sitting third after a 1-1 draw with Espanyol and six points adrift of Real Madrid, who beat them on penalties in controversial fashion in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Veteran defender Cesar Azpilicueta is now back fit and scored a sublime volley at the weekend, with Simeone suggesting at his pre-match press conference that the former Chelsea stalwart, Reinildo and Javi Galan could all play against Barcelona.
Robin Le Normand suffered another head injury during Atletico’s LaLiga draw with Espanyol at the weekend
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Robin Le Normand looks set to miss out though after being replaced at half-time on Saturday following another head knock, with Jose Maria Gimenez likely to deputise at centre-back alongside Clement Lenglet, who is on loan from Barcelona but can play against his parent club.
Long-serving captain Koke has declared himself 100 per cent fit after a muscle injury that has kept him out since mid-February, with fellow midfielder Javi Serrano also now recovered.
Predicted Atletico Madrid XI: Musso, Llorente, Gimenez, Lenglet, Azpilicueta, Simeone, Barrios, De Paul, Lino, Griezmann, Alvarez
Doubt: Le Normand
Time and date: 8:30pm BST on Wednesday April 2, 2025
Venue: Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid
How to watch: Premier Sports