Barcelona are stepping up preparations for their crucial La Liga away game against Girona. According to Catalan media, Marcus Rashford is almost certain to miss this Catalan derby, as he suffered a left knee collision against Mallorca and has been struggling with persistent discomfort ever since.
Although the club initially believed his injury only required preventive rest, his current recovery progress shows he needs more time to regain full fitness.
Meanwhile, the team has received positive news: key winger Raphinha has returned. After missing three important matches including the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg against Atlético Madrid, the Brazilian star has joined full team training for two consecutive days and is highly likely to be included in the squad for the Girona game.
Hansi Flick is taking an extremely cautious approach to his comeback,planning to use him as a substitute first to rebuild match fitness, ensuring he reaches peak condition for the decisive phase of the season and the key Copa del Rey fixtures in March.
