Barcelona clinched a close win to maintain their undefeated record for the season against Ernesto Valverde’s Athletic Club.
Xavi Hernandez’s team faced notable injury hurdles and had to depend on the abilities of La Masia Academy young talent Marc Guiu, who scored his first league goal in the 80th minute to seal the victory.
When facing Athletic, the Catalan team was missing several key players, such as Jules Kounde, captain Sergio Roberto, striker Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha Belloli, and midfielders Pedri Gonzalez and Frenkie de Jong.
After the game, coach Xavi addressed his injury-stricken squad and the potential absence of players in their upcoming home match against arch-rivals Real Madrid.
According to reports, it was revealed that La Blaugrana had just 13 fully fit first-team players for the match against the Basque Republic side, raising concerns about their players’ physical condition leading up to El Clasico.
As reported by the media outlet Sport, Xavi indicated that two of their injured players were not expected to regain fitness in time for the upcoming match.
“Kounde won’t be able to make it in time, and Sergi Roberto is also unlikely to be available. The availability of the others will depend on their recovery progress.”
He underscored the importance of the upcoming match, stating, “It is a crucial game for us. Despite our many injuries, we hope to regain some players this week. Winning this match is vital for us, especially since we’ll be playing at home.”
Prior to the clash with Real Madrid, Barcelona must first tackle the challenge of the Champions League presented by Shakhtar Donetsk.
Xavi is optimistic that his team can deliver a strong performance and steer clear of injuries, mindful of the fact that their last UEFA Champions League match saw Lewandowski getting injured.