Blow! Barça makes it official, KO for Elche: 'Raphinha, Dani Olmo and now...'

After the defeat in El Clásico, Barça has already turned the page and is now fully focused on its upcoming commitments. There's no room for regret or time to look back. This Sunday, Flick's team will host Elche at home in a crucial match to avoid losing more ground to Real Madrid, which will play a day earlier against Valencia.

The clash against the team from Elche presents itself as an excellent opportunity to get back to winning ways. The Barça coaching staff is aware that the pressure will be at its highest, especially after the setback at Bernabéu. Flick's priority is to recover positive feelings and to consolidate a play style that stays consistent throughout the ninety minutes.

Positive news for Barça

In this regard, Barça-Elche will arrive with significant updates for the Catalan team. The most notable is the recovery of Robert Lewandowski, who is already training with the group and will surely be included in the squad list. Forecasts indicate that the Polish player won't start, but he could get some minutes in the second half to regain match fitness.

There is also good news in goal. Joan García, who has been injured for weeks, has shortened his recovery time and could also make his return. If the positive feelings continue during the next training sessions, the goalkeeper will once again defend Barça's goal against Elche.

New absence for Barça to face Elche: Dani Olmo, Raphinha and now...

However, not everything is positive news in Barça's medical department. In addition to the already known absences of Raphinha and Dani Olmo, a new confirmed absence has been added. The club has officially announced that Andreas Christensen is suffering from discomfort in his soleus and is ruled out for Sunday's match.

Andreas Christensen's injury isn't particularly serious, but it does represent a significant setback for Hansi Flick. Christensen was supposed to be a key piece in the defensive rotation, alternating starts with Eric and Cubarsí. His absence will force the German coach to once again turn to the young players, who are accumulating many minutes at the start of this season.

The coaching staff is concerned about the physical load the defenders are bearing. Flick had planned a more balanced distribution of minutes among Andreas Christensen, Araújo, and the academy players, but injuries have disrupted those plans. The idea was for the Dane to play against Elche and allow Cubarsí to rest before the decisive stretch of the schedule.

Given this scenario, Flick will have to reinvent his starting eleven once again. The match against Elche presents itself as a test of character and squad depth. The German coach trusts that those available will respond and that Montjuïc will once again celebrate a victory that restores the confidence lost after El Clásico.