Barcelona is looking to recover from their recent 4–1 loss to Sevilla as they prepare to face Girona on Matchday 9 of the 2025–26 LaLiga season. Hansi Flick’s team aims to stay competitive with Real Madrid, who currently lead by three points. However, they will be playing without two key players: Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha.
Lewandowski will not participate in the Girona match due to a hamstring injury sustained while playing for Poland. He missed the first friendly against New Zealand but played in the World Cup Qualifiers against Lithuania, where he scored a goal.
Although Barcelona has not provided specific details about his recovery, ESPN reports that Lewandowski is likely to be out for three to five weeks, potentially missing the El Clásico against Real Madrid on Sunday, October 26.
Raphinha is also unavailable due to a hamstring injury in his right thigh, which he suffered during the 3–1 win over Real Oviedo on September 25. He is nearing the end of his three-week recovery, but Flick has stated that it’s essential for him to be fully fit for El Clásico.
Raphinha during the match against Real Oviedo. (Getty Images)
“We hope he’ll be ready for El Clásico — that’s the plan. Sometimes recovery processes face setbacks, but he’s on the right track,” Flick mentioned in a press conference. He confirmed that Raphinha will not be available for the Girona match and is also unlikely to play in the Champions League game against Olympiacos.
Barcelona facing injury challenges in attack
The losses of Lewandowski and Raphinha are complicating matters for Hansi Flick, as he also has to manage the absences of Dani Olmo, who is recovering from a calf injury, and Ferran Torres, who has muscle fatigue.
Additionally, Fermin Lopez is back in training after a hip flexor strain, while Lamine Yamal is also back to light training following a groin injury. Neither has been cleared for full competition. Both players hope to be available for the match against Girona, but the plan is for neither to start to ensure full recovery for the game against Real Madrid.
Flick commented on the limited attacking options but stressed the need to move forward. “We’ve lost a lot of attacking players, but we still have options. We can’t change the situation,” the German coach stated.