Barcelona’s midfield depth took a hit as Ilkay Gündoğan has been ruled out of the LaLiga opener against Valencia. Gündoğan, who suffered a head injury during the Joan Gamper Trophy defeat to Monaco, will be sidelined as a precautionary measure. Adding to the injury list that includes key players like Gavi, Frenkie de Jong, Ronald Araújo, and Ansu Fati, Gündoğan’s absence poses a significant challenge for Barça in their opening fixture.
Despite training with the team, summer signing Dani Olmo is also unavailable for selection. The Spain international, who arrived from RB Leipzig for €55 million, has not been deemed fit enough to play. Additionally, his registration with LaLiga is still pending as Barcelona navigates their spending cap to accommodate his transfer. The delay in Olmo’s availability adds to the club’s woes and limits their attacking options in midfield.
Sources suggest that Brazilian striker Vitor Roque, who joined Barcelona in January for €35 million, has been made available for a potential transfer before the window closes. The decision to offload Roque, either on loan or a permanent deal, reflects the club’s intent to streamline their squad and make room for new signings. The uncertainty surrounding Roque’s future further complicates Barcelona’s squad management ahead of the new season.
On a positive note, midfielder Pedri is set to return to the squad for the Valencia clash after recovering from an injury sustained during Spain’s Euro 2024 campaign. With Pedri’s potential involvement in the second half, Barça will rely on a mix of experienced and young midfielders like Casadó, Torre, and Bernal to navigate the challenges posed by Valencia. The versatile options of using Christensen and Raphinha centrally provide some flexibility in Flick’s tactical approach.
Overall, Barcelona’s injury woes and the unavailability of key players like Gündoğan and Olmo raise concerns about the team’s readiness for the new season. The ongoing challenges in player registrations, coupled with transfer speculation around Roque, add an element of uncertainty to the squad dynamics. However, the return of Pedri offers a glimmer of hope as Barcelona aims to overcome the obstacles and start their LaLiga campaign on a positive note.
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